Worth Dying For

Worth Dying For

 

 

There are many people in this world.  There are many possessions we have.  But what would you really be willing to sacrifice your life for?  Would you endure excruciating pain to defend something important to you?  Lately, I’ve been reading the book “Radical,” by David Platt, and it’s really beginning to alter my perspective on my faith.  I’ve come to a point where God is so real to me, and He has become the focus in my life.  However, as I read this book I am faced with wonder.  I wonder…would I be willing to sneak to an underground church in a small town in China, risking being tormented the government for breaking the law? Would I be willing to give away ALL my possessions, like the guy in Mark 10, to honor my God? As questions like these envelop my mind, some truths about the church of today have become clear to me. 

The truth: The sacrificial lifestyle of a Christian is for today.

In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. Luke 14:33

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

I’m not sure where or when perception got distorted, but God certainly isn’t lowering His standards as time goes by.  He asks that we, as disciples, are willing to sacrifice ourselves, our possessions, our everything for Him. And if were not willing to do that, then are we really being disciples at all?

The truth: Comfort = stagnancy.

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Matthew 5:13

¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Matthew 3:15-16

As you can see, God likes them spicay Christians ;).  When we become content and stop stepping outside our comfort zone to draw nearer to Him, He gets bored!  I mean seriously…spitting out the “lukewarm?”  I do NOT want to be that person. If we fail to obey God when it gets a little uncomfortable, we’re taking a step in the wrong direction.

The truth: God is always by your side.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

Things God asks of us can be scary, no doubt.  But even in the silence, he is still right by our side.  These verses (truths) are encouraging tools to remind us of God’s faithfulness.  Sure, sacrifice is painful.  Sacrifice is hard!  God does not ask us to endure it alone though. 

The truth: It’s worth it.

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Deuteronomy 28:1

Although the blessing is not the goal, giving everything to God in your life on earth does not go unnoticed. God keeps track of our every move, and will reward us for our sacrifice.

 

Now I’ll be real, the idea of giving up my life for my faith is something I am certainly still shaky on.  It’s very difficult to get away from the selfish part of me that helplessly values my own life.  When it comes down to it though, God truly is worth it all. I hope that as you read this you, too, are challenged to stretch your faith. I also encourage you to read the book “Radical.”  It will mess you up!

Until next time,

Tamara

Fine Arts Essay

Hey guys, I know it's been a while since I've posted. Well, this is why! Below is a copy of my Fine Arts First Person Essay. The theme this year was "Finish/ed," which, as you can imagine, has potential for all sorts of different interpretations. What does it mean to finish, how often do we start something and not finish, what's the point in finishing...the list goes on. Anyway, this is my interepretation. Hope you enjoy!

 

The Arrival 

Finish: to complete; to refine; to arrive.  Starting a task has never been an issue for me.  Perhaps that’s because the only possibility was to improve from my current standings.  On the other hand, finishing can be quite a daunting endeavor, and may include obstacles and hardships that I never intended to face.  I can remember as a young child, I’d play games with my brothers and the second I started to lose I would say, “I quit!”  As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that the same childish attitude I possessed during those games is still my natural tendency when the cost of obstacles seemingly begin to outweigh the goal of the finish line.

            God never promised that the things He asks of me will be easy, rather He stated that through HIM, I am a conqueror  because of His great love which will bring me through (Romans 8:37.)    One time I remember feeling led to pray over a girl for healing.  However, I’d never met this girl before, nor did I feel comfortable doing so.  Despite my feelings, I pushed myself to do it, and words beyond my own wisdom came out of my mouth. I realized something: God will give me the strength I need to finish His work.  I simply need to take action.  This is something I find I must constantly remind myself because it’s so easy to get caught up in worldly views of self-empowerment, when ultimately my strength to finish doesn’t have to come from me; but from HIM.

            A couple years prior to my example above, I was at a point where I had stopped working towards the finish line. I’ve been a Christian for as long as I can remember, but about five years ago I recall feeling spiritually stuck; like I wasn’t moving forward at all.  If anything, I was moving backward.  I began to wonder why God wasn’t bringing me out of the rut I was in.  In all honesty, I had reached a point of complacency.  Sure, God was challenging me to do new things; but not things I wanted to do!  For some reason, He wasn’t getting closer to me! Little did I know that it was my responsibility to grow, and being complacent was simply not an option.

            Finally one day in church, a simple message about Bible reading and prayer caught my attention.  As basic of a sermon it was, it made me realize that I wasn’t actively pursuing God like I should have been.  God is there to carry my burdens, but I have to seek Him to find Him!  I made a decision that day (which still stands true): I choose to run to the finish line.  Sure, I could probably still get into heaven by remaining where I’m at right now.  In the same sense, I could also walk to a finish line.  But why?  Finishing is more than just scraping by; it’s a journey which leads to an arrival.

            Sure enough, this decision ensured obstacles, discomfort, and pain.  Just like running, the battles only got stronger as I went further along. My decision, although rewarding, definitely impacted my relationships with others.  As I became more vocal about my relationship with God, people often treated me differently or tagged me as “weird.” Many friends of mine had difficulty understanding why I became “so religious,” and often questioned or mocked my decisions that went against the “norms” of society.  I was also faced with fear and discomfort as God led me to serve in ways beyond my own capabilities. For example, I distinctly remember God pushing me to speak up in a situation with some friends of mine.  It was awkward and distressing at the time, but little experiences like this reminded me of God’s power, peace, and comfort. Perhaps it was my age, or perhaps God gave me strength I needed; nonetheless, I began to realize that obstacles are inevitable, but the finish line is well worth the fight. 

            I look forward to the day when I finally do reach the finish line. Although the journey there is the main focus, the reward is the icing on the cake.  I cannot fathom what will come beyond the finish line; but I know this: It’s something worth running towards.  The obstacles I have faced, and the trials to come are simply attacks of the enemy meant to lead me astray.  As John 16:33 states, “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world!”  Although finishing isn’t always the easiest option, it is unquestionably the most rewarding.   And when that day comes, I will not walk through the finish line; I will run; run to the One who carried me through it all.

-Tamara

Increase Your Peace

Increase Your Peace  

 

 

 

Stress.  It’s something we all deal with from time to time, but we all seem to handle it a bit differently.  How should we be handling it though?  For me, I tend to resort to missing meals, missing sleep, and a negative attitude.  None of those things are very good decisions; and to be honest with you all I definitely have some work to do in this area!  I’ve discovered a major flaw, however, in how I go about “fixing” my stress.  Typically if it’s caused by exams, friend problems, or anything I think I’m capable of overcoming, I spend a lot of time trying to fix the issue.  The problem with this is I can’t always fix the issue myself, thus, leading me into further frustration. 

The truth: When we are obedient and do everything with excellence, we can find peace through trust in God.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. Isaiah 12: 2

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. Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

In other words, when we are doing our best to serve God but there are still some bumps along the way, we really just need to step back and let God do the work.  He may not fix your problem but He will give you peace IF you let Him.

The truth: “Fixing” the stressors in your life isn’t always necessary.  God will calm your storm.  

You know that old saying, “everything happens for a reason?”  Well, whether or not you believe that to be true, God allows us to face trials for several reasons, but He never wanted to see us suffer.  God provides peace because He does care, and although it may seem hard, sometimes we just have to allow the stressful times to pass and rely on God to carry us through.

The Lord will fight for you. You have only to be still. Exodus 14:14

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

So God may have left us with the world in which we, in fact, will face many stressful events, but He also left us with the gift of peace.  Kind of silly to just ignore something like that, you know?  It’s so easy to slip into fix-it mode, but when we take another look at the Bible, it is clear that the stressful times have lessons to be learned and God will be there to give us PEACE.

The truth: God’s peace passes all understanding.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

I can tell you from my personal experience, all of the verses I have listed are no joke.  It’s hard to explain, but there have been times where I’ve been so stressed, then a simple prayer gives me such strong assurance and security that I’m not walking this journey alone, and everything is going to be alright. 

So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed with stress, rather than try to “fix it”, remember God’s promise.

Until next time…

Peace out. ;)

Integrity

Integrity

 

 

On my mind lately is the idea of what we do when nobody’s looking.  Now I’m not talking picking your nose or dancing like a crazy person to your favorite song…but rather, the person you are when the world isn’t watching.  We all have our morals, our beliefs, and our convictions; all of which are typically simple to follow when we have an audience.  I mean really, who wants to look bad in front of someone else? However, it can be pretty easy to step outside the lines when nobody’s there to call you out.  So maybe you already exercise what you preach, but if I were to guess, I’d say all of us have our moments where our selfish, humanly side takes the driver’s seat.

The truth: There’s always an audience of one.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men Colossians 3:23

Not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart Ephesians 6:6

Living on earth, it’s easy to assume that nobody sees the things we do it secret; but it’s foolish to draw this conclusion.  You can’t hide it from God—and his opinion is the only one that really matters anyway.  (For reference, Jonah is a perfect example of this.) 

The truth: True character is what you do when nobody’s looking.

Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:1-4

So sure, you may not get all the “credit” you desire for doing what’s right when nobody’s watching on earth; but I think that comes along with the territory of being a person of character.  We’re not always going to get rewarded for the things we do when nobody’s watching, but God sees and He will reward you in Heaven. When we do what is right simply because it’s right, God does not let that go un-noticed!

The truth: Everything you claim to be is meaningless if there’s an “on” and “off” switch.

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 2 Corinthians 5:11

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. Proverbs 10:9

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Proverbs 11:3

Honestly, what’s the point in putting on a show?  Imagine judgment day…do you think God’s going to be there stating, “Wow, you did a great job living a righteous life when everyone was watching.  Forget about the times in secret where you fell short, because you sure impressed everyone!”  Yeah, I’m gonna guess it won’t go like that. Being righteous and integrity-filled is all about how you live your life despite the presence or absence of an audience.  When it’s all said and done, your character and integrity is only between you and God, and the “ideal model” you’ve created for the world to see is irrelevant. 

So think about it, do you act the same way when nobody’s looking?  Are your intentions to impress others, or do the right thing?

He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Luke 16:10

Until next time…

-Tamara

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

R.e.s.p.e.c.t.

 

 

Respect.  I think this is a word that is so often used incorrectly, and is greatly misunderstood.  Teachers, friends, parents; essentially, everyone demands it.  However it becomes a bit of a gray area when those demanding it don’t seem to deserve it.  I, like everyone else, had pre-conceived notions about it.  But rather than rant, let’s check out what the Word says.   

Regarding elders/authority:

Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:32

¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Regarding parents:

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

Regarding friends/anyone else:

¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:17

The truth: As you can see, the Bible commands respect to everyone.

So perhaps the distortion of this command is all the different definitions to “respect.”  Respect can mean “to honor or admire someone,”  “to be polite in regard to a person,” or even “to avoid violation or interference with.”  Based on what else we can find in the Word, I’ve come to a conclusion.

The truth: God doesn’t expect us to admire those who do sinful things, and we are not expected to support them in their wrong-doings, either.  Rather, we are commanded to treat them with kindness, and honor their authority.  In other words, be polite.  Don’t hop on board if the person is doing something which contradicts the Bible, but be aware that if they are in a position of authority it’s for a reason and you must be kind and regardful to them.   

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. Romans 13:1-7

I think this verse basically sums it up.  We need to respect authority, but must follow what God has commanded over all.  And when elders are contradicting God’s Word, it’s okay to “respectfully” resist ;).  For example, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did with King Nebuchadnezzar (see Daniel 3.) 

On a final note, I encourage you to put these commands into practice if you haven’t already.  I know I can easily forget/disregard them, and will be working on it as well.  Long story short, God wants us to treat everyone with kindness, and to honor authority.  Were humans, of course authority will mess up sometimes.  In the end the only One who’s really in charge is God.

Until next time,

-       Tamara

Gratefulness

 Gratefulness

 

 

Gratefulness….it’s something we all get sick of hearing about.  It’s something we all think we possess.  It’s something we criticize others with.  But take a moment, and actually check yourself.  When was the last time you genuinely thanked someone for what they did?  When was the last time you recognized all of the gifts you’ve been given? What if you died today, only to wake up the next morning with only the things you thanked God for?  Interesting thought, isn’t it?  Now I know we can’t spend all night going through a long list thanking God for what we have every day, but we can, however, appreciate and acknowledge the gifts we’ve been given.  

The truth: There is always something to be grateful for.

First of all, if you have a roof over your head and food to eat, that’s a gift in itself.  And when in doubt, go to the cross.  God sacrificed His life for you, and would have done it ONLY for you.  Now THAT is something to be thankful for.

John 3:16…’nough said.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

The truth: Taking time to recognize what we do have alters our focus and perspective.

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” (MSG) Philippians 4:8

The truth: Taking time to give thanks changed me.

Last year, for one month I made it a goal to write one thing down each day that I was thankful for.  Each day I would pray and thank God for each thing on the list.  Now that might sound totally lame to you, but it really opened my eyes to all that I have been given. At least for me, it’s incredibly easy to lose sight of everything God has given me, and I find myself just wanting more stuff.  Taking this challenge not only helped me break away from my natural selfish tendencies, but it also gave me a more positive outlook.  As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, positive thinking changes everything. 

On a final note, I understand that a lot of times I spend blog posts telling you “why doing these things will be good for you,” but really it’s not about that.  There’s one name to glorify and that’s God.  He’s given you and me so many things, and it’s really the least we can do to acknowledge them!

 I challenge you to try the one month goal.  If you’re anything like me, it will change your perspective big time!

Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

-Tamara

Hearing God's Voice: My story

Hearing God’s Voice-My story

 

 

So I’m not entirely sure who all reads this blog, but no matter where you are spiritually you will/have encounter(ed) this “obstacle” at some point [assuming you are a Christian].  I’ll start with my story.  When I was in middle school, I sat in church as I watched my friends pour their hearts out in worship to God.  They seemed so close to him. And I felt so distant. I’ve believed in God my whole life, but at the time I was really struggling with actually hearing God.  I mean, it just didn’t make sense to me.  How could someone just “know God was telling them something.”  Although this may seem totally basic to you, I was sitting in service one day when a simple sentence made things much clearer to me. The statement was “when you spend time reading the Bible, God will speak to you.”  Yeah it seems pretty obvious, but I can only assume I’m not the only one who was sitting there waiting for some sort light to shine down and God to speak.  The fact is, it doesn’t always work that way.

                However, as I continued to read the Word, God brought my attention to many verses which helped me get through struggles, challenged me, and encouraged me.  This simple practice has become an everyday thing and truly changed my life.  In addition, now that I have put the time in to listen to God, he has spoken to me in many other instances.  To describe it to someone who hasn’t experienced this before—it’s not like there’s a light coming down from heaven. For me, I am usually faced with a deep passion that seems unnatural to my own being.  When I allowed myself to become vulnerable to God’s voice, making prayers such as “God use me,” and “Guide me,” I would become overwhelmed with the power, passion, and heart of God. 

                Finally, as I grew closer to God, I began to hear Him in everyday instances.  When you pursue Him, he will speak to you!  You just have to be listening.  Many times it’s easy to get God’s voice confused with your own, but I found that the best way to distinguish it is by 1. Checking how closely it follows God’s word. If it’s not okay in terms of the Bible, then it aint God! 2. Identify the passion/purpose behind it.  Does it sound like something God wants you to do? Do you feel conviction?

I hope that by reading this you have developed a greater understanding of hearing God’s voice.  It can seem incredibly difficult at times, but He’s always talking to you and cares about you more than you know.  If you’ve been discouraged at any point, keep pursuing! I can promise you He will speak! And a good place to start is the Bible; it is the Word of God after all!

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

³ ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

 

Until next time,

Tamara