I'll Rejoice Now

Lately, i've had the amazing pleasure of seeing God's power in the lives of people, including myself. He's been pressing on my heart just how much He can do in us. i've been blessed to be a part of a number of events He's allowed me to participate in. i was given the chance to go up to an fca camp and watch as close friends came closer to Him, and i got to watch His children gather together to worship Him in a real and radical way. i was able to host a fusion with my fca huddle group, and i watched Him speak through one of my brothers (who's biggest fear was public speaking) get up on stage and share his testimony with hundreds of students (he didn't even hesitate for a moment as he was on stage. i had friends tell me afterward he was their favorite part of the entire event). i have seen Him increase and more than double the number of all of our ministries on my school campus in just one semester. He's blessed my father's church ministry in ways i can't even describe. i've been blessed to see a "fifth quarter" fca event me and my friends planned succeed in ways we didn't even imagine it would when it shouldn't have even happened. our principal attended and was so impacted by the event that he approached me and asked if we would make it an annual event. i got the chance to serve at an fca banquet and watched as the body of Christ came together to support each other through tithing, prayer, service and encouragement. i was able to go up to young life camp recently and listen as guys poured out their hearts and came closer to the Lord. i was even blessed there to see old friends of mine growing closer to each other and to their Savior. all this to say, He's AMAZING!

but i've also been going through a rough time in my life. so often, i feel alone, or struggle to see His purpose through seeming tragedies that occur. lately especially, i haven't felt very well at all. i've been exhausted by all of life's troubles, and distracted by my own material temptations. all this to say, i haven't been on a "spiritual high" lately. but it's a great thing, i've discovered, because it has stretched me and forced me to determine just how important He is to me. when you don't "feel like doing it" i've discovered, is precisely when it's needed most. when i don't feel like praying, it probably means i desperately need to call out to my Father. when i don't feel like helping that person out, it's probably when they need to see His Spirit in another the most.

when we don't feel like living for Him, it's because we've taken our eyes off of His prize, His love, and His cross. He's always there, all you have to do is ask. He may answer you in a way you never expect; elijah heard Him speak not in a storm, but a whisper; joseph saw His power in visions that he saw without his consent; the jews thought the Messiah would come to destroy the gentile nations, and instead, He came to save them. but He will always answer. and that is the reason for JOY!

joy isn't happiness. "feeling happy" by definition is when a person is experiencing an emotional or euphoric high because something material is going well in their lives. in other words, how happy you are depends completely on your surroundings; if you're just a "happy" person, your mood and actions are completely defined by other people and events. that means that happiness can't last. for example, there is no way to be happy if someone you love passes away. if someone began to laugh when they heard that someone close to them had died, we would consider them demented, deranged, or insane. suffering cannot bring about an emotional high. happiness is like chaff in the wind: there one second, gone the next. if you place your energy into what makes you "happy" you're placing your entire well-being for the rest of your life on how others or your surroundings treat you. that is not how we are meant to live.

what God gives us is so much more! He gives us joy! according to the Bible, joy isn't just "feeling good" for a day or two until something bad happens. it's the ability God's love gives us to see His goodness through all situations. we are only here for a moment. the Bible compares our lifespans to wisps of smoke in the air. the night can only last for a moment before His light shines through. eternity is ours through His sacrifice on the cross! so what can keep us down?

"Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory" -romans 5:2

there's a song called "flowers for molly" by jason harwell (i'd post a link to the song, but there isn't one. look him up on itunes though, he's AMAZING!). the song talks about a lot of thoughts that were going on through his life at the time he wrote it. one meaning behind the song is one of thanks for his daughter (molly). the second is that he depicts a reflection of the Lord's love for His children. the third, and the most gripping for me personally, is that He speaks about how he'll rejoice in the Lord regardless of the situation. during a part of the song, he repeats the words

"i'll rejoice now, i'll rejoice now, i'll rejoice now!"

as Christians, that's what we should live like! we aren't meant to live downtrodden, depressed, or stressed! we're meant to live! to rejoice for and through any gift, friendship, or happiness, and also, through and for every hardship, rejection, and sorrow. as children of God we have the freedom to say "i'll rejoice now". that's God's free gift to you; nothing can steal it away.

so when you feel beat down, depressed, or worn out, call out to Him. when the apostles were beaten down by the pharisees, the Bible says they rejoiced because they were worthy enough to be tortured for the Name. if His joy has the power to keep men rejoicing after they've been beaten and threatened with death, nothing can kill it. He's always going to see you through the storm.

"Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything." - 2 corinthians 6:10

" But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. " - phillipians 2:17

"But may all who search for You be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “God is great!” - psalm 70:4

" You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. " - pslam 92:4

He loves you so much! there is nothing that can compare to it, nothing that can conquer it, and nothing that can change it! so rejoice now!

Forgiven and Free

so lately, i've noticed that people (especially me) get completely wrapped up in things we feel we have to do. in our day and age, there are so many obligations. we have to do this many chores, and this much homework, and go to this many practices a week... the list is endless. not only do we have an limitless amount of work to do, but our lives, we feel, are controlled by the expectations others put on us. we have to act this way to be cool, we have to look this way to be accepted, we have to think this or we're going to be wrong....

we also have this ridiculous idea that we have to do some kind of work for God to accept us. we have to help out this person because they're our friend, we have to donate this amount of money to be a good person, we have to go to church or we're not a Christian, we have to, we have to, we have to....

what i've found out (the hard way) is that no amount of "friendship" based on rules or expectations ever fills. the Bible talks a lot about the law and what it's useful for.

"19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. ²⁰ For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." - romans 3:19-20

that's the full extent of the usefulness of rules. they are there to show us how much we're screwing up. if we were doing everything as we were supposed to, we would need no laws to measure up to. so, if a friendship is based on what you do, or following a certain set of codes, then all your acquaintance is based upon is something that can only show you how horrible you are. you can't be built up by that kind of relationship. it's hollow; it has no power in it; it has no love.

the worst part of this misconception is that we try to apply it to God. we seem to feel that we have to do all of these things to please Him, or He won't forgive us. i so often find myself simply going through the motions. as humans we so often think that if we go to church enough, or only listen to a certain kind of music, or say the right things, or hang around the right crowd, that God is going to think something more of us. but God is so much better than that!

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." - romans 5:8

God loved us, the human race, even when we turned from Him, even when we spurned His love, even when we crucified His son on a cross, and even now. God, the creator of the universe, the holy, unstoppable, perfect, all powerful, untouchable being who has complete and utter control over our finite existence... loves us. not only that, but He forgives us! we are free!

"So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free."- john 8:36

and God has set us all free! if you want it, it's yours completely! you are free to live without rules, without boundaries, without necessities. you are free to love and be loved by the one who made it all! and if you are in love with Him, you can't help but keep the law, because His love is more than our small spirits can hold. it has to pour out on others! and if we are loving God and loving others, then, according to Jesus:

" ³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’^{[e] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[f] 40} The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”" - matthew 22:37-40

you are obeying the law completely! you don't have to do anything! that's the glory of it all! He's done it all for us! we are forgiven, and free from condemnation!

to everyone who's struggling because you feel inadequate, or because others have condemned you, He loves you. nothing you can or can't do will change that. He has always loved you and He always will. rest in His arms.

to everyone who feels like you have to continue following rules or acting a certain way, He didn't make us to live that way. you're made to be more than that. He loves you. nothing you do can make you more or less forgiven. be free in His Holy Spirit.

here are some songs i love that talk about living free:

the first is "going through the motions" by matthew west
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLJF9vaIJ_0

the second is "amazing love" by candi pearson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dooif2-yAoI

"Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."- 2 corinthians 3:16

"Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you."- galations 5:1

""Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."- (Jesus) matthew 11:28

He loves you no matter what you're going through! God bless!