Searching?...

Hide and Go Seek: A lessons we learn as kids

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Proverbs 25:2)

Once upon a time (because all good stories start with "once upon a time") growing up one of my favorite games to play with my friends was hide and go seek. Nothing beat spending recess time or a weekend afternoon hiding in the craziest places or finding my friends who thought they could out-smart me by hiding behind a parked car or some other random place. There was something about the thrill of searching after friends in hidden places and being the hidden one - being so still as to not give away my position but ultimately being found because after all... hiding gets boring after a while...

*Fast Forward to Adulthood*

Being at a place in life where you aren't quite sure what the next move in life to make is a lot like playing Hide and Seek with God. God knows all and loves to hide things but He desires us to search out our next steps in life as kings would search for some great thing worthy to be found and revealed. While the search might seem intimidating at times, there are a few things you can be sure of:

His answers are never in a dangerous place. God hates sin. So His answers for your life would never be found chasing those things. Even though His unfailing grace can save us from getting caught up in the wrong things, it's never His desire to seek those things first.

His hiding places are never dangerous but they may be difficult. Sometimes we might have to really really do some searching to find out an answer. This could mean overcoming our own contradictory thoughts, achieving a seemingly impossible goal or obstacle, or even just weathering a storm and giving things time. Like I said before, hiding isn't the funnest thing to do once you've been hiding for a while. Those things that He wants to reveal to you, He really wants you to know!

Finding an answer means seeking in the direction of Him. It's so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of options and microwave-ready quick fixes but God's path requires diligent persistence towards Him.

So with that being said... I hope you find what you are searching for! He already knows where it is but it's in a safe place. If all else fails, peep the bonus coverage and get lost!


Bonus Coverage: Mute Math - Control


Take control of the atmosphere
Take me far away from here
There is no better loss than to lose myself in you
In a parachute to glide, I am captive in your sky
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful

Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
You can take my world you can fill the air
Take control, take control

Such a beautiful surrender
Such a beautiful surrender
Such a beautiful surrender
Such a beautiful surrender

Move me up through the darkest clouds
Till I've lost in the sun every shadow of doubt
There is no better find than to find myself with you
In a fog you are all I see
I'm inviting you closer with each time I breathe
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful

Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
You can take my world you can fill the air
Take control, take control, take control, take control

Such a beautiful surrender
Such a beautiful surrender
Such a beautiful surrender
Such a beautiful surrender

Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
There is no reason I should breathe unless you're in the air
Take control

Such a beautiful surrender
Such a beautiful surrender
And I'm calling out
Would you take control
And I'm calling out

Bible Talk 101: Peace

Bible Talk 101

From Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology


Peace:


The Meaning of Peace. In English, the word "peace" conjures up a passive picture, one showing an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife. The biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew root slm, which means "to be complete" or "to be sound." The verb conveys both a dynamic and a static meaning—"to be complete or whole" or "to live well." The noun had many nuances, but can be grouped into four categories: (1) salom [שָׁלֵם] as wholeness of life or body (i.e., health); (2) salom [שָׁלֵם] as right relationship or harmony between two parties or people, often established by a covenant (see "covenant of peace" inNum 25:12-13; Isa 54:10; Ezek 34:25-26) and, when related to Yahweh, the covenant was renewed or maintained with a "peace offering"; (3) salom [שָׁלֵם] as prosperity, success, or fulfillment (see Lev 26:3-9); and (4) salom [שָׁלֵם] as victory over one's enemies or absence of war. Salom [שָׁלֵם] was used in both greetings and farewells. It was meant to act as a blessing on the one to whom it was spoken: "May your life be filled with health, prosperity, and victory." As an adjective, it expressed completeness and safety. In the New Testament, the Greek word eirene [εἰρηνεύω] is the word most often translated by the word "peace." Although there is some overlap in their meanings, the Hebrew word salom[שָׁלֵם] is broader in its usage, and, in fact, has greatly influenced the New Testament's use of eirene [εἰρηνεύω].


Bonus Coverage: Lecrae - New Shalom

Christlikeness

Christlikeness

Tony Evans

In His Presence: If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

Christlikeness is the Spirit of God inspiring the ability to emulate the person of Christ in and through your life. How do you know if you are Christlike? Your conduct will be consistent with the character of the Savior. You constantly grow more into His image, becoming more like Him this year than you were last year, more like Him today than you were yesterday.

The Spirit is so powerful, it liberates the dead body to enjoy the new life that Jesus provided by His death and resurrection.

For more devotionals by Dr. Tony Evans, click here.

Stand Out!

Be You!

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13, NIV 2011 Edition)

I think the "in-crowd" is over rated.

When I think about what those two words mean, it makes me wonder why it would even matter to try so hard to be accepted for something you aren't. It doesn't make sense to me to want to be "crowded in" a group of people all looking for approval of others by conforming to ever-changing standards. What does make sense to me is surrounding yourself around people who appreciate you for consistently being you.

In fact, the Bible teaches us not to be conformed to the ways of the world. We as Christians have been released from the slavery of worldly possessions and desires and called to love others humbly. What does that mean? It means Jesus doesn't need you to change your body, your personality, or whether or not you're a fan of this or that sports team, He just wants your heart. I see the "in-crowd" as this packed box that people try so hard to get selected for but outside is this beautiful scenery and weather. Inside the box it's dark and crowded. Why spend time and agony trying to conform to restriction when God has called you to freedom?

Step outside the box, embrace the "you" that God made, and surround yourself with others who appreciate you being consistently you. The only transformation or conformation that needs to happen is through love.

(Bonus Coverage - Hello Fear by Kirk Franklin)


Hello Fear
Before you sit down there's something I need to explain
Since you're here
I think I should tell you since we last talked things have changed
See I'm tired of being broken-hearted
So I made a list and you're on it
All my hopes and my dreams You took from me
I want those back before you leave

Hello Fear
I knew I would see you, You have a hard time letting go
See these tears,Take a good look cuz, soon they wont fall anymore
God's healing my hurful places
That seat that was yours now is taken
I'm no longer afraid,See I'm better this way
And one more thing before you leave

[Chorus]
Never again will I love you
My heart it refuses to be your home
No longer your prisoner
Today I remember
Apart from you is where I belong

And never again will I trust you
I'm tired of fighting it's been way too long
No longer your prisoner
Today I remember
Who I was and now it's gone
They're gone
Hello Fear
Da da da da da, da da da da da

Farewell Goodbye So long [3X]

Hello Grace
It feels like forever, I thought my chance with you was gone
See your face, it reminds me of mercy
And please let me say I was wrong
Never knew your touch was endless
How you never run dry of forgiveness
Didn't know how bad it was, was afraid just because
Sorry fear, grace took your place

[Chorus]

Farewell Goodbye So long [8X]

Hello Fear
Before you sit down there's something I need to explain 

Faithful Is Our God

 ¹ Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. ² Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. ³ Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. ⁴ Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. ⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ⁶ So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” ⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13: 1-7; NIV 2011 Edition)

Not sure if anyone needed to hear this today but I did. Have a great weekend!

Bonus Coverage: Brandon Camphor & One Way - Faithful Is Our God

Unglitching The Matrix

Two Pills: 1 Truth, 1 Lies | Take your pick.

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. (Psalm 119:165, NIV 2011 Edition)

 I wrote a blog earlier this week about color but this one is about matters that are black and white. Or for the purpose of this illustration, red and green. Basically, in life there are some things that are cut and dry, black and white, this or that... you get it. One of those things being God's truth vs. untruth. As we study the scriptures we begin to find out what God says about different things. If we are Christians who try to do right in the different areas of our lives, the Bible is a great resource for understanding what God thinks about stuff. Giving to the church, sexual purity, loving one another, greed, it's all in there and more.

The more we come to know his law, hopefully the more we begin to love it. In the same way that it's good to know that AAA is there for you in the event of an accident or locked keys in the car, David proclaims in Psalm 119 that those who love God's law have great peace and do not stumble. Is this to say that we won't be faced with hard times or difficult situations? Absolutely not! What it means is that we have a reference guide to look at in our daily walk but also in the event of temptation. Knowing God's law and falling in love with it takes the guesswork out of decision making process. Especially when it comes to temptation.

Can you think of a time where you had to make a decision without guidance and proper training? How did it make you feel? Anxious? Fearful? Cautious? Well, in the event that you are faced with a situation in life and God has said something about it, if you've studied and believe and have grown to love and agree with what was said then imagine how simple your response can be.

Bible Talk 101: Grace

Bible Talk: 101

UNDERSTANDING GRACEby Charles R. Swindoll

John 1:14

What exactly is grace? And is it limited to Jesus' life and ministry? You may be surprised to know that Jesus never used the word itself. He just taught it and, equally important, He lived it. Furthermore, the Bible never gives us a one-statement definition, though grace appears throughout its pages . . . not only the word itself but numerous demonstrations of it. Understanding what grace means requires our going back to an old Hebrew term that meant "to bend, to stoop." By and by, it came to include the idea of "condescending favor."

If you have traveled to London, you have perhaps seen royalty. If so, you may have noticed sophistication, aloofness, distance. On occasion, royalty in England will make the news because someone in the ranks of nobility will stop, kneel down, and touch or bless a commoner. That is grace. There is nothing in the commoner that deserves being noticed or touched or blessed by the royal family. But because of grace in the heart of the queen, there is the desire at that moment to pause, to stoop, to touch, even to bless.

The late pastor and Bible scholar Donald Barnhouse perhaps said it best: "Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace."

To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn't deserve it and can never earn it. Receiving God's acceptance by grace always stands in sharp contrast to earning it on the basis of works. Every time the thought of grace appears, there is the idea of its being undeserved. In no way is the recipient getting what he or she deserves. Favor is being extended simply out of the goodness of the heart of the giver.