So as I said in previous blogs, you have to DIE to yourself. Give up everything you thought you stood for, and just die. But, I am just now learning how awefully wrong that can go, if you don't find life. You can die to yourself and not care or worry about things, but if you don't fill yourself with Him, you will eventually just be left either lazy and empty, or go back to figuring everything out on your own.
Basically, dieing to yourself is more than only giving things up to Him. It's spending time with Him, it's listening for Him, it's doing anything to get closer to Him. It's not only about giving up everything you have, but also looking to Him to fill that. You're dieing to yourself so you can make room for Him, so LET HIM IN! Just dieing to yourself would be pointless.
So all I can do is encourage you to focus on HIM, by not worrying about everything, and spending time with Him. It's true, He will take care of things in your life when you just focus on Him and love/spend time with Him. So die to yourself, but remember WHY you're dieing. LOOK TO HIM.
Matthew 10:38-39 *The Message
38-39"If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Camp WOW: Experience 3
So for my final experience, I'm going to take you to the 2nd to last DAY of camp, leading up the last night. We were down by the lake, having our cardboard boat races when Ketric comes up to me. I hadn't seen him all week, because he was with mid high, and he wanted to talk. So we went on up to the cafeteria and chatted about camp, and some things that have gone on in my life recently. I thought it was a chat, but then he wanted me to do something for the service.
So I went early and talked to the head guy in charge of running the experiences at night, and apparently I was chosen from the Edmond campus to be part of it. There were 12 other kids there too. Now, when I learned what I was going to get to do, to be honest I was REALLY excited. You see, that night they wanted to do a "cardboard testimony" thing to the song "Jesus Paid It All." (Great song.) So, they handed me a posterboard and a marker, and said "tell YOUR story." On one side, it was your story before you saw Jesus, and on the other it was how He came into the situation.
So, I immediately knew what my story would be. That is, my parents splitting this year and me having to endure that. On the "negative" side of my board, I wrote "Seeing parents split", on the flip side, aka Jesus side, I wrote "seeking Heavenly Father." So the night came, and it was time for me to stand in front of 700 people and share my testimony. I walked on stage, and as I flipped that sign, and heard all the cheering for Jesus, it hit me. HE IS THE ANSWER TO MY STRUGGLES AND THE THINGS THE DEVIL HAS PUT INTO MY LIFE. That night was so empowering, and I loved helping others with my story.
So now I have to ask you, what's your story? If you could tell one issue that goes on in your life, what would it be? What would the flip side aka Jesus side say? Or would it be blank as to where you are right now? Are you not SEEING Jesus in the situation? Well He's always there, you just have to seek Him. Mark 7:7.
So I went early and talked to the head guy in charge of running the experiences at night, and apparently I was chosen from the Edmond campus to be part of it. There were 12 other kids there too. Now, when I learned what I was going to get to do, to be honest I was REALLY excited. You see, that night they wanted to do a "cardboard testimony" thing to the song "Jesus Paid It All." (Great song.) So, they handed me a posterboard and a marker, and said "tell YOUR story." On one side, it was your story before you saw Jesus, and on the other it was how He came into the situation.
So, I immediately knew what my story would be. That is, my parents splitting this year and me having to endure that. On the "negative" side of my board, I wrote "Seeing parents split", on the flip side, aka Jesus side, I wrote "seeking Heavenly Father." So the night came, and it was time for me to stand in front of 700 people and share my testimony. I walked on stage, and as I flipped that sign, and heard all the cheering for Jesus, it hit me. HE IS THE ANSWER TO MY STRUGGLES AND THE THINGS THE DEVIL HAS PUT INTO MY LIFE. That night was so empowering, and I loved helping others with my story.
So now I have to ask you, what's your story? If you could tell one issue that goes on in your life, what would it be? What would the flip side aka Jesus side say? Or would it be blank as to where you are right now? Are you not SEEING Jesus in the situation? Well He's always there, you just have to seek Him. Mark 7:7.
Monday, July 21, 2008
2nd Camp Wow Experience
Okay, so moving on with our Camp Wow experience here, I'm going to take you to the 3rd night of camp. See, this night was a huge night for me randomly, because in worship I realized a HUGE thing. That was, that in my life I ignore the pain around me and use God as an excuse by saying "Well I'm looking to God instead of the pain" but the truth was, I was just ignoring the pain altogether. So once I realized this, in worship I prayed that God would put all that pain on me but in a good way, so that I could remember the pain of my parents splitting, dad drinking, etc. And that I wouldn't ever end up that way.
So in worship, all this pain just completely comes over me. It hits me like a ton of bricks, and I just started BAWLING. I haven't cried that hard in a REALLY long time. But see, I loved the pain because I was taking it on and fighting through it. Finding the beauty of it through Him. As I was crying and worshiping, I got all these words in my head so I decided to write them down. These are them, word for word, nothing changed. Authentic from when it happened:
It's time to take on the pain, and conquer it. I can't just go through acting like life's good. I've been ripped so many things for a reason, and that is to find Him. NO MORE IGNORING. He does help me through hard times, but I've made myself numb to pain, which could let me fall into the same traps as those that have hurt me. If you're numb, you can't feel what He needs you to experience. My alternative to pain has not been God, it's been ignoring it. I try to fix it from the OUTSIDE IN by being numb and acting for Him. I seem to think I need to be strong for everyone else. You (as in God) have given me all these things, and I want to use them so bring on the pain.
You see, these words were given to me, and I can only hope they help you like they helped me. It was a very amazing experience, and I'll always remember it. Just remember, He must fix you from the INSIDE OUT.
Oh, and the dog joined us that night in our small group ;] imagine that.
So in worship, all this pain just completely comes over me. It hits me like a ton of bricks, and I just started BAWLING. I haven't cried that hard in a REALLY long time. But see, I loved the pain because I was taking it on and fighting through it. Finding the beauty of it through Him. As I was crying and worshiping, I got all these words in my head so I decided to write them down. These are them, word for word, nothing changed. Authentic from when it happened:
It's time to take on the pain, and conquer it. I can't just go through acting like life's good. I've been ripped so many things for a reason, and that is to find Him. NO MORE IGNORING. He does help me through hard times, but I've made myself numb to pain, which could let me fall into the same traps as those that have hurt me. If you're numb, you can't feel what He needs you to experience. My alternative to pain has not been God, it's been ignoring it. I try to fix it from the OUTSIDE IN by being numb and acting for Him. I seem to think I need to be strong for everyone else. You (as in God) have given me all these things, and I want to use them so bring on the pain.
You see, these words were given to me, and I can only hope they help you like they helped me. It was a very amazing experience, and I'll always remember it. Just remember, He must fix you from the INSIDE OUT.
Oh, and the dog joined us that night in our small group ;] imagine that.
Camp WOW: Experience 1
Okay, so as I said in the previous post, a lot happened at camp WOW! I've decided to seperate all of it into 3 posts, with 3 different experiences. This, as the title says, is the first one. It happened the second night and was just really cool!
Okay, so we're in worship, and talking about praying and connecting with God while people break away and go write things on the prayer wall. A lot of people were crying, but for some reason I was just sitting there. When I tried to worship, for the first time God told me that I needed to go pray over someone. At first this weirded me out and I just ignored Him and kept worshiping. But, there was a huge block in my worship, and He was just saying NO, GO PRAY OVER SOMEONE EVEN BEFORE YOU WORSHIP ME. So, I finally gave in.
My first question to God was, "alright, WHO do you want me to pray over?" After about 10 minutes, two names came to my mind. Those were my friend Jordan, and my cousin Elie. I still had no idea why I needed to though. So during worship still, I look around and see neither. After a while I just realize that isn't the right time snd I need to wait. Here's where it gets crazy.
After service, walking out to our small groups, someone is walking in front of me. As she turns around, I realize its Jordan! And, she was crying and tells me we need to talk and I'm like YES WE DO! So after small groups, we walk around the camp and just discuss the service and we both prayed over each other. While we were walking, that verse that says "For where two or more gather, I am there" came to mind. So I said it, and there was one of the camp dogs following us next to Jordan. I made a joke about the dog and how He represented God and we laughed.
We keep walking around, and it keep followings us (the dog). After a while though it walks off and we keep talking. Well, when we finally stop to pray over each other, I can see the dog about 4 yards away laying down just looking at us. I think it's kind of ironic that He was watching us, but still ignore it. We continue and start praying and when we open our eyes the dog is sitting right next to us looking up (at us). This dog just gave me an overwhelming comfort for some reason, kind of seeing that God really was there.
Another cool part of this story, is that while Jordan and I were walking around talking, I had just told her about how I also needed to pray over Elie. She kind of just went with it, but we were really struck about a minute later. We passed Elie and 3 of her friends, and she was bawling. She runs up to me and says "ALEC! WHERE WERE YOU? I NEEDED YOU SO BAD IN THE SERVICE AND NOONE COULD UNDERSTAND!" So I'm like I KNEW YOU DID! And we talked more later and it all worked out well. It was just cool to be that reassured both ways from God that I really was supposed to pray over them :].
Expect more in the following days.
Okay, so we're in worship, and talking about praying and connecting with God while people break away and go write things on the prayer wall. A lot of people were crying, but for some reason I was just sitting there. When I tried to worship, for the first time God told me that I needed to go pray over someone. At first this weirded me out and I just ignored Him and kept worshiping. But, there was a huge block in my worship, and He was just saying NO, GO PRAY OVER SOMEONE EVEN BEFORE YOU WORSHIP ME. So, I finally gave in.
My first question to God was, "alright, WHO do you want me to pray over?" After about 10 minutes, two names came to my mind. Those were my friend Jordan, and my cousin Elie. I still had no idea why I needed to though. So during worship still, I look around and see neither. After a while I just realize that isn't the right time snd I need to wait. Here's where it gets crazy.
After service, walking out to our small groups, someone is walking in front of me. As she turns around, I realize its Jordan! And, she was crying and tells me we need to talk and I'm like YES WE DO! So after small groups, we walk around the camp and just discuss the service and we both prayed over each other. While we were walking, that verse that says "For where two or more gather, I am there" came to mind. So I said it, and there was one of the camp dogs following us next to Jordan. I made a joke about the dog and how He represented God and we laughed.
We keep walking around, and it keep followings us (the dog). After a while though it walks off and we keep talking. Well, when we finally stop to pray over each other, I can see the dog about 4 yards away laying down just looking at us. I think it's kind of ironic that He was watching us, but still ignore it. We continue and start praying and when we open our eyes the dog is sitting right next to us looking up (at us). This dog just gave me an overwhelming comfort for some reason, kind of seeing that God really was there.
Another cool part of this story, is that while Jordan and I were walking around talking, I had just told her about how I also needed to pray over Elie. She kind of just went with it, but we were really struck about a minute later. We passed Elie and 3 of her friends, and she was bawling. She runs up to me and says "ALEC! WHERE WERE YOU? I NEEDED YOU SO BAD IN THE SERVICE AND NOONE COULD UNDERSTAND!" So I'm like I KNEW YOU DID! And we talked more later and it all worked out well. It was just cool to be that reassured both ways from God that I really was supposed to pray over them :].
Expect more in the following days.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
I'm Home!
I'M HOME!!!!! Camp was amazing as always, and I really got to know some people better. The experience cannot be described in one blog, but I will try in multiple. STARTING TOMORROW! I'm exhausted right now so I'm going to rest and chill, but information on how it went will be on the way :].
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Camp WOW!!!!!
I'm going to camp WOW tomorrow morning! I will not be updating until atleast Sunday, so be praying that all of us get there and back safe, and experience God like never before! Talk to everyone soon!
-Alec
-Alec
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Die To Yourself.
People say this phrase all the time. "You must die to yourself to find God." But, what does it really mean? Obviously the literal meaning is to give up all your wants and your desires, so there is room for the Lord to show you what He has in store for you and what His wants and His desires are for you. But why do we "die" to ourselves in the first place?
Recently, I was thinking about life and death. The bible says in Philippians 1:21 "21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Now what does this mean? Well, lets look at a literal meaning. On the Earth, when we are living and breathing physically, were living for Christ and sharing His word. We are working for the Lord, and alive. But, when we die, we enter a much greater life, eternal life. In this life, we can run with Jesus forever, and God we will worship all the time. How amazing? So dieing is far more gain then living.
So, when you look at "Dieing to yourself" it only makes sense that in order to be CLOSER to Him, we must die to ourselves. When we die physically, we are brought closer to Him in eternal life, so when we die to ourselves on the earth we are brought closer to Him spiritually.
Empty yourself of you, so you can be filled with the Spirit and alive.
Recently, I was thinking about life and death. The bible says in Philippians 1:21 "21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Now what does this mean? Well, lets look at a literal meaning. On the Earth, when we are living and breathing physically, were living for Christ and sharing His word. We are working for the Lord, and alive. But, when we die, we enter a much greater life, eternal life. In this life, we can run with Jesus forever, and God we will worship all the time. How amazing? So dieing is far more gain then living.
So, when you look at "Dieing to yourself" it only makes sense that in order to be CLOSER to Him, we must die to ourselves. When we die physically, we are brought closer to Him in eternal life, so when we die to ourselves on the earth we are brought closer to Him spiritually.
Empty yourself of you, so you can be filled with the Spirit and alive.
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