Does God trust you with Pain?

I know this question may sound odd, but think about it. Does God trust you with pain?

We go through many things in life that are difficult and that are hard to get through, and there is nothing we can do about that. However, we can do something about our response to those times. Do we get angry? Do we turn and run? Do we just give up and not care anymore?

Although I do not believe that God causes pain I think that He uses things that happen to teach us, grow us, and even take us to new levels in our relationship with Him.

I heard a good friend of mine say one time, "I want God to trust me with pain." And I started thinking about that and that is a tough statement.

When I say can God trust you with pain what I mean is, when things happen, or when life goes wrong, can God trust that we will respond in the right way? Or every time something happens is it up in the air how you will respond?

Now, there are many wrong ways and one best way to respond to pain, and I want to talk a little about that one best way: worship.

Think about it, when is it most difficult to worship? It's when you don't feel like it; when you don't feel the emotions; when your mind is on other thins; when you are hurting. In these times it is hard to worship, because all we are thinking about is our situation and ourselves.

But if we can learn to worship even in the most difficult times, then we will most definitely grow in God and grow in worship. If we can step out and say, "No matter what I'm going through and no matter what my circumstances are, I will worship because I love you God," then we are beginning to see what worship really is about. See, I believe that if you can learn to do that, not only does that worship mean more to God, but it will mean more to you, because there is no doubt that it is not sincere. So I challenge you today, the next time you are in pain will you respond in a way that will make God trust you with pain?

How big is our God

I have watched this video a couple times in the past few months and every time I watch it, I just am left in awe of How big God is. I think so many times we make God small. What I mean by this is, we humanize Him. It's like because we are surrounded by earthly things and are in this world that's the extent of our thought process, so we fit God into that instead of thinking of Him as big as He really is. I never want to make God small or to think of Him as small, because He's not. Watch these videos and let's share God as the big God He is!!!

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Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKMw1ndl-EY
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBkY1Ff46Bg
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVxdRrWjh0g
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6AB5IvogHc
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVBNKSjg-LQ

Do you worship?

I'm not asking if you participate in the Sunday morning worship service, I'm asking do you really worship?

I know we hear all the time that worship isn't just singing a few songs or really "getting into" a worship service, but really think about it, is what we are doing real worship?

True worship is a heart condition, it's not an emotion, expression, or outward gesture. Now these things are often involved when we worship, and in fact help us to express our heart to God, but these in and of themselves are not worship. Worship comes from the heart. Dr. Vernon Whaley from Liberty University said, "Worship is the response to revealed truth." When God makes himself real to you or reveals something to you, what is your response? Is it Joy? Is it a sense of overwhelming awe? Are you taken back that the God of the universe is speaking to you? Or does it even phase you?

The fact is, God is the truth that has been revealed. So, worship is our response to God. Worship is our gift to God. It's the small thing we can offer back to God for who He is.

With this understanding, what are you giving back to God? There are so many things we can give to God: Time, money, emotions, our hearts, our minds. The list could go on and on. It's really all summed up in one thing though, our lives. Have we given God our lives? Now, you may say, "Yes, I am a Christian," but that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking, have you given everything to Him?

See, worship isn't an experience, it's a lifestyle. Worship isn't something we attend, it's something we live. We have to examine EVERY area of our lives and see how we can give it to God, so that we can live that lifestyle of worship.

It simply amazes me that the huge, awesome God who speaks things into existence would not only allow me to know about Him (which is beyond what we could ever ask for in itself), and not only allow us to have a relationship with Him, but goes even a step farther to want a relationship with you. I don't know if you realize it, but that is an awesome privilege that God has given us that we do not deserve.

When someone does something for you or is something to you, how does it make you feel? What does it make you want to do? You want to do something back for them, right? And that's just a person. Think of God and who He is to you and what He has done for you. It should make you want to give back to Him.

I want to encourage you, starting today, in everything you do have a mindset of worship. Think to yourself, "How can I worship (or give back to God) in this situation?" And begin to live your worship out, so that your lifestyle will be one of worship!

Fasting

So, we are right in the middle of our 30 day fast for the first of the year, and God has been doing some incredible things in our church and in my life. This fast is an effort for our church to give the first of our year to God and seeking God to bring wisdom and power in our church and in our lives. So, we are on a 30 day fast while reading through Proverbs and Acts. I just wanted to write a little bit about what God has doing in my life during this fast.

First off, this fast has helped me to become more sensitive to the spirit and to His leading. In spending more focused and purposed time in my devotions He has begun to show and teach me things. It's really awesome to me to see how clearing out things that we desire and putting them on hold opens up room for God's Spirit to dwell more intensely. The fast has helped me to develop even more of a desire for God and for His presence.

God has also been doing some amazing things and providing for me in various ways and has really shown Himself real to me. It seems as if God comes through right when I think there is no way that my needs or desires can be met. Without going into alot of detail, God has just really been making Him self real to me during this fast.

I wanted to write a little on fasting to help those of you who don't fully understand the concept. Now I am by no means someone who has done research and know everything on fasting, but maybe my insight will help some of you. Fasting isn't about just not eating or giving up something just to do it, or just because it's the "right thing to do." There must be purpose in fasting. Simply put, fasting is the denying of the flesh to be filled with more of the Spirit. The flesh and Spirit are constantly at battle. The things of the Spirit do not go along with what our flesh wants. In fact, most of the time, it's the complete opposite. So, when we fast, it's an act of letting what the flesh wants go so that we can accept the things of the Spirit. I will say this, if you have never fasted or have never fasted with purpose, I encourage you to do so. God will teach you things and do things in your life like you never imagined.

Even in your everyday life, constantly be making room for the Spirit of God. You don't have to fast all the time to make room, but you can live a life of surrender to the Spirit. I know that if you do this, God will take you to places in Him that you could never have dreamed of!!!