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The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for us. We... put ourselves where only God deserves to be; God... puts himself where we deserve to be.

John Stott, 'The Cross of Christ'

When you look from the perspective of a scientist at the universe, it looks as if it knew we were coming. There are 15 constants—the gravitational constant, various constants about the strong and weak nuclear force, etc.—that have precise values. If any one of those constants was off by even one part in a million, or in some cases, by one part in a million million, the universe could not have actually come to the point where we see it. Matter would not have been able to coalesce, there would have been no galaxy, stars, planets or people.

Scientist Francis Collins, as quoted in Tim Keller’s ‘The Reason for God’

When I come to my evening prayers and try to reckon up the sins of the day, nine times out of ten the most obvious one is some sin against charity; I have sulked or snapped or sneered or snubbed or stormed. And the excuse that immediately springs to my mind is that the provocation was so sudden and unexpected; I was caught off my guard... On the other hand, surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is? Surely what pops out before a man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? If there are any rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity More and more, Christ has been revealing to me recently that my sinfulness is in my very nature and that sinful thoughts and actions are simply the fruit from that poisoned tree. (Matt. 7:16-20) Luckily, I am a branch of the good vine. It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20), and the more I root myself in the Spirit, the more good fruit I will bear. (Galatians 5:22-23) With Christ, the old me has gone and the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Praise the Lord!!

On the whole, God's love for us is a much safer subject to think about than our love for Him. Nobody can always have devout feelings: and even if we could, feelings are not what God principally cares about. Christian Love, either towards God or towards man, is an affair of the will. If we are trying to do His will we are obeying the commandment, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.' He will give us feelings of love if He pleases. We cannot create them for ourselves, and we must not demand them as a right. But the great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

I love this because so much of my life has been spent hearing the command to “Love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind,” and not knowing how to do that. How do you make yourself love something? But this is what I’ve found to be true: loving someone well means acting in their best interest whether or not you feel like it.

PRAISE GOD that “though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not.” He is steadfast, He keeps His promises, and He will never leave us nor forsake us!

In this day and age, fasting can seem outdated and foreign. I’ve had a lot of questions about fasting, myself. Who ought to fast, if anyone? Why do people fast? How does it work?

This is an awesome article or figuring out the answers to those questions, and also (if you’re a seasoned faster) to remind yourself of the heart behind fasting.

The Scriptures speak of three kinds of table fellowship that Jesus kept with his own: daily fellowship at the table, the table fellowship of the Lord's Supper, and the final table fellowship in the Kingdom of God. But in all three the one thing that counts is that "their eyes were opened, and they knew him." To know Jesus Christ in the presence of these gifts— what does this mean? It means, first, to know him as the giver of all gifts, as Lord and Creator of this our world, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The table fellowship therefore prays, "And let Thy gifts to us be blest," and thus acknowledges the eternal divinity of Jesus Christ. Second, the fellowship acknowledges that all earthly gifts are given to it only for Christ's sake, as this whole world is sustained only for the sake of Jesus Christ, his Word, and his message. He is the true bread of life. He is not only the giver but the gift itself, for whose sake all earthly gifts exist.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me. My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me: the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.

Acts 20:24

Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

Habakkuk 1:5

We have always been enticed by shortcuts. But shortcuts often spell failure, and this is Satan's goal. Satan tempts with quick riches and money-making schemes; God offers the blessings of long-time faithfulness: "A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished' (Prov 28:20). Satan tempts with instant intimacy through sexual passion, but God offers the faithful building of a loving relationship. Diet fads tempt with quick weight loss, but such diets do not develop the long-term discipline needed to maintain weight loss. Drugs and alcohol hold out immediate relief from suffering but do not build character that can endure.

Dr. Henry Cloud, Changes That Heal (7.2.2015)

7.1.2015- I AM, the Creator

I’ve been learning a lot about God’s character over the past few months.I’ve been learning through books, through prayer, through worship music, through Scripture (primarily), and through the character of others in my life.

In Every Good Endeavor (which I have recommended before and cannot re-recommend highly enough), Tim Keller led me to look at my future career as a graphic designer and how I can use it to bring glory to God.

I’ve always been an artsy person. I love writing, doodling, singing, dancing, painting, crafting... basically, hand me a pen and paper and I’m in my happy place. Creating is one of the most fundamental parts of my nature.

But when I make something, I worry how others will receive it. Sharing my writing with others is one of the scariest and most nerve-wracking experiences in the world, to me. When I design for a client or for a class and show it to others to critique, it feels like I have bared my soul to them. The power to lift it up or crush it lies entirely in their hands.

Why? Maybe it’s the immense time and attention I’ve devoted to every last detail. Everything it is composed of was a decision I made with intentionality and vision. Maybe it’s that I crafted each piece with the purpose in mind of pleasing the friend or client. I want my friend to enjoy the canvas I painted and I feel that if I like it and she doesn’t, it’s somehow a reflection on her feelings toward myself.

If I feel that way about my meager creations, how much more does God, the Ultimate Creator, pour of Himself into His creation?

He made this world “and saw that it was very good,” filled with good gifts for His children to enjoy. When I look down upon someone because they annoy me, I’m overlooking their good qualities that are a shadow of my Creator’s; when I reject someone who is difficult to get along with, I’m rejecting God.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” Matthew 25:40-45 (NIV)

We are not a community of the righteous condemning the sexually wayward, but fellow rebels redeemed by Jesus’ blood, calling out for others to experience the grace we’ve experienced. With the gay and lesbian community we share a common humanity; a common problem–sin; and a common hope–the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.

J.D. Greear, Trying to Respond Like Jesus to the SCOTUS Pronouncement on Same-Sex Marriage

If events ever come from beyond Nature altogether, she will be no more incommoded by them. Be sure she will rush to the point where she is invaded, as the defensive forces rush to a cut in our finger, and there hasten to accommodate the newcomer. The moment it enters her realm it obeys all her laws. Miraculous wine will intoxicate, miraculous conception will lead to pregnancy, inspired books will suffer all the ordinary processes of textual corruption, miraculous bread will be digested. The divine art of miracle is not an art of suspending the pattern to which events conform but of feeding new events into that pattern.

C.S. Lewis, Miracles

5.18.2015- first and foremost

Music Mondays: I Am Yours (Lauren Daigle)

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about identity lately. I’ve got more than one. I’m a daughter, a sister, a friend, a student, a graphic designer, and– most importantly– a follower of Jesus Christ.

These identities are not distinct from one another, nor should they be. Who I am in each of these roles affects who I am in each of the others.

My role as a daughter formed in me an attitude toward authority (whether positive or negative) that then plays out in my workplace and in learning situations. It also affects who I choose to be my friends. Most likely I will gravitate toward those with the same attitude toward authority that I have.

My role as a designer teaches me daily to appreciate beauty and not to accept less of my own work than complete satisfaction. It affects how I view other people– do I find the beauty in them or do I see the imperfections?

But first and foremost my identity is as a Christian. This does not mean I turn every relationship I have into an opportunity to share the gospel, but that my faith should so permeate every area of my life that people can’t help but to see Christ in me.

My obedience to Jesus as the ultimate authority affects how I treat other authority figures.

My understanding that every person is equally sinful in God’s eyes affects how I relate to my younger brother when he’s being super annoying.

My ability to see different parts of God’s character in my friends affects my appreciation of their character.

My inadequacy in the face of God’s incredible wisdom and power affects my enthusiasm for learning about this world He created.

My awe at God’s perfect goodness affects how I strive for integrity in my own work so that I can honor Him.

Knowing God should fundamentally change who I am because the closer I walk with Him, the more like Him I become. I know I can never reach that level of perfection but that’s why I stand clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

Before all else, I am Yours, Lord.

5.15.2015- Scandal of Grace, Hillsong United

the day and its troubles shall come// i know that Your strength is enough

Since we already have in Christ the things other people work for–salvation, self-worth, a good conscience, and peace–now we may work simply to love God and our neighbors. It is a sacrifice of joy, a limitation that offers freedom.

Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor

This is an excellent book, especially if you (like me) are entering the workplace soon! But it really speaks to any vocation/calling: student, parent, sibling, volunteer, teammate, etc.

Keller talks in the book about honoring God in work beyond just seeing the workplace as a mission field. He talks about how humans were created to work, what God’s intended design of work was, and how our sinful hearts have gotten it wrong. I highly recommend it!!!

#Tim Keller

3.31.2015- refocus and reread

It seems obvious that the main character of the New Testament is Jesus. The way it is structured lends itself to this understanding: four narrative books about Jesus and His life, one narrative book about His followers, 21 letters about how to follow Jesus, and then a book prophesying about Jesus’s return and the Lord revealing (like revelation) Himself on the Earth.

It’s a no-brainer.

In fact, if you were asked who the main character of the entire Bible is, you would still probably answer with Jesus’s name, or God’s.

But do we have that mentality when we’re reading the Bible?

So often, I find myself reading Scripture with the question running through my mind of how does this apply to me? How does it change my life? How does it make me feel? (This is largely the reason I get stuck in books like Numbers, Leviticus, or Lamentations– they don’t seem to be able to apply to my life, and they don’t make me feel good to read.)

These are not bad questions to ask. But they shouldn’t be the central questions of my quiet time, much less of my life at large.

The Bible is not about me. Scripture was not written with my life in mind.

The Bible is about God, and we ought to approach Scripture with this in mind. Here are some alternative questions I’ve begun to ask as I read the Word:

Who is He? What does this passage reveal about God’s character?

How was God working in this situation? [Sometimes this can be obvious, but there are passages in the Bible where God’s name is not mentioned. This, too, is crucial. Learn about His patience when we are ignoring His will. Look at what He’s doing when we’re too wrapped up in our own stories to notice Him.]

Why did He choose this person to carry out His will? What does that say about what He values?

What did He ask this person to do, and what does that say about what He values?

Does the Lord work in these ways today? Why do you think that is, or why not?

I need to learn to refocus my reading of the Bible to really see the author and perfecter of my faith. I need to be reading the Bible to know Him better, rather than to improve my life, because that’s what true relationship with God is. It’s not using Him to get what I want, but knowing Him so that He can use me to accomplish His will.

3.24.2015- My jams

Forever- Kari Jobe

Oh How I Need You- All Sons & Daughters

Lift My Life Up- Unspoken

At The Cross (Love Ran Red)- Chris Tomlin

Have Everything- David Dunn

Because He Lives (Amen)- Matt Maher

He Knows My Name- Francesca Battistelli

The Sun Is Rising- Britt Nicole

Start a Fire- Unspoken

How Can It Be- Lauren Daigle

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