(wrote this during Lent, so I’m posting it now)
After reading Blue Like Jazz probably…a year ago (or more :P), a couple of months ago I picked up Don Millers next book, Searching for God Knows What. And by “picked up,” I actually mean I took it off my brother’s shelf. He’s built up a nice small collection (sort of) of Christian books that I like to help myself to when he’s not around hahaha. Anyway, after reading it, I thought I’d share some thoughts about it: Continue reading
It’s a little early. But I wanted to say this to myself before I do it this year.
The 2 things I’m planning on lenting this year are:
(1) the internet (outside of work)
(2) gaming (console, handheld and mobile)
On an off-topic note, the book Red Letter Revolution came up today in my small group fellowship, and while sifting through my old blog posts, I found I had posted a this link (that Starfield tweeted LOLL):
http://www.redletterchristians.org/12-hopes-for-2012/
Out of the 12 things there, I think I’ve done about half of those LOLL. I wanna try and do some (or maybe even all) of those things again this year (maybe even add another one since it’s 2013)
I’ve also been reading Don Miller’s book “Searching for God Knows What”, the book that came after “Blue Like Jazz”. Interesting read so far.
When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless your heartI’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You’re looking into my heartI’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
All about You, Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You JesusKing of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath
-Heart of worship by Matt Redman
A little while back over the summer, a few of us from my youth fellowship who were also part of the worship team (or were interested in the topic of worship) got together and started doing devo’s/discussion together. We started talking about what it meant to be a part of worship, what it means to lead worship in the worship team etc. And it made me think about this song (above).
Whether we are part of the worship team, leading the worship team, leading a group into worship, I feel like, you are first a worshipper of God. And worship is for God, it’s not a performance for people (though no lies, it does feel like it sometimes), it’s not about us singing, or not singing or being able to sing well or if we sing terribly, or if we play perfectly or if we make mistakes etc. it’s not about us, it’s about God. And….one of the things I think I love about the worship part of any message or Sunday sermon is that you can toss aside all the crap you might’ve been dealing with at the time, day, week etc. and just focus on God. Just enjoy being there in his presence. And sometimes, a least for me, this means I’m just meditating on words and lyrics, reading them like a prayer (or praise) in my head.
So what’s worship all about? It be about God, and how you worship is between you a God. Ain’t that nice?
I remember hearing about this book not long ago, don’t remember where, but today it came up in my list of recommendations by Amazon. So I clicked and saw this video for it:
I’m curious now, so planning to pick up this book and give it a read. Also sounds like a great study to do for fellowship, plus there are online resources for it too.
If you’re curious about it too I encourage you to challenge yourself and read it too 🙂
“What would you do, if Jesus meant everything He said? What would you do, if you really lived out the way Jesus wanted us to live?”
The Lord said…
You said, ask and you will receive
whatever you needYou said, pray and I’ll hear from heaven
and I’ll heal your landYou said, your glory will fill the earth
like water, the seaYou said, lift up your eyes
the harvest is near, the kingdom is here,You said, ask and I’ll give the nations to you
Oh Lord, that’s the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see
Your light, as it rises on us
–”You Said” Hillsongs
….and that…
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
–Philippians 4:13
…because…
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
–Matthew 17:20
Because of this, we may have peace in Him for…
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
–Luke 11:11–13
——————-
This is a sort of prayer I thought of and composed as an encouragement (hopefully) to a family friend/believer/brother/sister from my church congregation. It’s also a summary of how I think God’s been speaking to me in these past 2 weeks (-ish). Kinda interesting because about 2 years ago, while I was interning at Ambassadors for Christ in Canada, I found myself looking and learning (a lot yet also not A LOT) about prayer. Different kinds of prayer. What does it mean to pray TO God? What is prayer?
I can’t say I have definite answers. But rather, I’m still learning. And I’m o.k. with that. 🙂
I almost wrote 2011 in the title there LOL.
In about an hour, I’ll be starting my Lent this year:
Living without the internet in all applications outside of work/office hours for the next 40 days (including weekends). From Ash Wednesday (February 22) until Palm Sunday (April 1st). This would include internet on my desktop, laptop, iPod and Twitter on my phone.
Last year I couldn’t think of what to lent, this year. Internet was the first thing I thought about to lent. That next to social media (but then I realized I still need it at work, for work) and coffee (mostly Starbucks, though Roll-up-the-Rim is back at Tims so I’ll be there more now :P).
Aside from wanting to finish video games and picking up the countless personal design projects I had wanted/planned to work on after grad, my biggest resolution this year was to grow even more in my walk with God. That said, Lent is a huge opportunity for that. And a challenge for sure, but I absolutely know it’s possible, after all I’m one of the lucky ones that were still born/lived in the decade where we had no high speed (ah…I remember having to ask my parents to go online when we had dial-up when I was 12 *reminisce*).
I wanted to somehow document my 40 days on this blog, but seeing how I can only blog at work (and I’m quite busy at work), I’ll be documenting my thoughts on paper and sharing highlights when I can and have time to write at work, and after Lent.
To the rest of the world lenting for the next 40 days (whatever and however you do so), I pray that you may come to grow closer to God in the next 40 days. 🙂
The extreme:
-Optimist lives in ignorance of the truth
-Pessimist lives blind of the light/joy that is in front of them
Being one or the other does a Christian no good, for our Lord is the God of truth and light. And should we desire both truth and light, then we must strive to be like Him. Knowing the truth and light He has blessed us with.