Monday, August 30, 2010

The Road Through Ephesus... Living Billboards Ephesians 2:7

It's really warm here today.  Like in the 90s warm. I much prefer it to be cooler than it currently it and am hoping that the temp drops a little for the rest of the week.  Anyways.  We are 5.6% done with the school year as of today.  There are days when I don't know if that is depressing or exciting.  But I'm going to try to look at it as a positive thing.

But enough about the weather and school... those are some pretty boring subjects.  Instead let's get started with some more Ephesians!!

Ephesians 2:7

"So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus."

I don't know about you, but I love people examples.  I love people who I can look up to or who I can point out to others as someone they can look up to.  I love watching people live out their faith and knowing that they're looking a little bit like Jesus right then and there.  But even more that looking at other people as examples, I love being an example.  I love knowing that the way that I choose to love God and express that love for him may be pointing others a little closer to Jesus.  That's one of the reasons I think this verse is so cool.  God uses us as examples!  He has poured our an incredible wealth of grace and kindness and then uses us as examples for all future people to point out his extravagance.  We are walking billboards for the goodness of God.  Everything that God did for us in fusing us with Christ is an example of his goodness and mercy.

That is what is so cool about our stories.  Each one of us has a unique and personal story of our lives.  But the one thing that they should all have in common if we are followers of Christ, is that they should all point to God's mercy, grace, kindness, and redemption.  Our lives are to be examples of the goodness of our God.

But even as I type this, I have to wonder if my life is being an accurate "billboard" for God's grace towards us.  While I may have experienced it in my own life, an example or a "billboard" is meant to be shared.  It's not meant to be kept to yourself.  You can't be an example to anyone if you don't let people see what God has done in your life.  So that's the questions I keep coming back to.  Is my life a living example, a living billboard of God's grace and mercy, his kindness and mercy?

What about your life?  Do people look at you and see evidence of the goodness of God?  Or do you hide what God is doing in your life from the people around you?  

Let's be those living billboards.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

The Road Through Ephesus... Fused Ephesians 2:6

I love Saturdays.  I love sleeping in and just taking some time to relax and be refreshed.  I hate when Saturdays become super busy with a million and one things to do and places to run to.  I much prefer a Saturday with friends and family where I can let down my guard, share my heart, laugh, live, and be known.  It's truly a glorious thing.  But enough about how much I love Saturdays, for if I keep talking about how much I love Saturdays I shell spend my entire Saturday trying to blog and never have a chance to relax.

So let's jump in!

Ephesians 2:6

"For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus."

Look at this verse.  Let it roll around in your mind for a few seconds, minutes, hours, days... After God himself gave us CPR, he seated us with Christ in heaven.  We are right next to him.  But perhaps even more cool than that is the next part of the verse: "...because we are united with Christ Jesus."  That part just gives me chills.  Seriously, I don't know that I have words to describe what that part of the verse does to my heart. And a big part of it has to do with one word: united.  I wanted to make sure I understood what this word meant so I looked it up on dictionary.com.  Here's a few of the definitions: made into or caused to act as a single entity, agreed, in harmony, to join, combine, or incorporate so as to form a single whole or unit, to be joined by or as if by adhesion.  And then perhaps my favorite synonym that pops us for the word unite: fuse.  


The thoughts those words conjure are breathtaking.  After God gave us mouth to mouth, we were united with Christ.  We were fused together.  We should act like a single entity.  We are joined by something stronger that super glue.  We are one with Christ.  That is what that word united means.  Our days of self are over.  From now on, we should think, act and be little Christ's.  We no longer continue with our own desires and thoughts, ambitions and plans.  We are fused.  Everything about us should scream to the world that we are united with Christ.  Everything about us should point to Jesus.


This has been one of my prayers this past week.  That as I live out my daily life among these high school students, my faith would be on my sleeve.  That everything I say and do would proclaim Jesus to these kids.  I want these kids to be able to tell from my life, my words, and the way I respond to others that I am fused to Christ.


What about you?  Can the world tell that you are bonded to Christ?  Do you wear your faith on your sleeve or is it something that people don't know for sure where you stand on?  Can people tell when they look at you that your life, your words, your actions, the way you respond to others are the same as what Jesus would do?  Because they should be able to do that.  For we are no longer free to pursue our own wills.  We were bought with a heavy price.  We are united with Christ.  We are one entity. And the world needs to see that.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

The Road Through Ephesus... Dead Man Walking Ephesians 2:4-5

I didn't post again yesterday.  That makes me sad.  But the day really got away from me.  I got to go on a field trip yesterday and I got very wet.  Soaked actually.  We went rafting (don't worry I didn't go crazy, it wasn't white water rafting... just down a river and across a lake rafting, almost like canoeing (is that a word?) but with more people).  My raft liked to splash other rafts and so they splashed back.  Unfortunately, I was unarmed due to the fact that I was interpreting and just kept getting wet without being able to do anything back.  But while I was on this trip I realized something.  Oh, I guess I should tell you that I was also a chaperone for the trip.  So back to what I realized.  I realized that I actually kind of like high school students. Now, if you don't know me very well you might be going..."So, what's the big deal?"  The big deal is this.  When I was a high school student and the first couple of years of college, I really didn't like high school students.  They annoyed me.  But now, after yesterday, I can honestly say that these kids are really important to me.  And what I overhear in the classroom, in the hallways, and on the bus to the field trip, makes my heart break.  I spent a whole study hall period today just praying for these students that were in my raft and in the classes I go to.  I want them to know Jesus.  I want them to know how much they are worth in God's eyes.  I want them to experience his life changing power, his mercy, his grace, his forgiveness.  Just be praying for me and these kids this year.  I really want Jesus to take hold of these kids' lives and I'm really praying about what my part in that looks like.

After that really long introduction, what do you say we jump into Ephesians?  I know I really need to hear God's words tonight.

Ephesians 2:4-5

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)"

I love the picture of the richness of God as it relates to the expression of his mercy and love.  Because of our sins, we were dead.  Our hearts had stopped beating.  We were stone cold.  But God, in his never-ending love and mercy, breathed life into us.  He took what seemed impossible and made it possible.  He bridged the gap between God and man and in doing so brought us back to life.  He literally did CPR on us when He raised Christ from the dead. What an awesome picture that is!!!

I also love the second part of that verse.  The only way to salvation is through God's grace.  If not for God's grace, salvation would not exist.  How powerful is that!  I am so thankful that I serve a God like that!  As I think about working with these high school students, the last part of the verse takes on even more meaning.  It's only God who can bring these kids to himself.  Can he choose to use me in that process?  Yes.  Does their salvation depend on or rest in me?  By no means.  God began this work and God will complete it.  He just chooses to use his children to further his kingdom.  God's passion and heart for these kids goes way further than mine or anyone else's.  His heart longs for them, desires them, and breaks for them.  Even now he is calling them.  I just can't wait to see how I get to be a part of that!

What about you?  What sticks out in this verse to you?  Is it the picture of being dead and being brought to life?  Or is it the way that it's only by God's grace that we are saved?  Or is it something else entirely?  Comment and let me know.  This is just what has been on my heart lately.  Now I want to hear yours.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Road Through Ephesus...History Ephesians 2:3

So.  Yesterday I didn't post.  Sorry about that.  I was reading a good book and then I had some prep work that I needed to do for work today and sadly by the time I finished that, there was just enough time to spend some time with Jesus before I fell into bed (so what if I fell into bed a little before 10 pm... when you have to get up early, you're tired at 8:30 pm...).  The book I was reading is one of those books that has two books in one.  I finished the first one earlier and started the second one.  I'm taking a break from it now though, because I'm tired of crying (it's sad... one of the main characters dies).  So now I'm sitting here, talking to you.  And I am so ready to jump back into Ephesians!!  So let's just do it.

Ephesians 2:3

"All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature.  By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else."

The last few verses have all been talking about our past.  What we were like before Christ.  They have been talking about our history.  Now I don't know about you, but I love history.  I love to study it, learn about it, visit historical sights, dress up in time period appropriate clothing...if it has something to do with history, I probably enjoy doing it.  So this verse starts off talking about our history, how we used to live.  It shares that we used to live by following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. In other words, we were full out devoted to sin.  It doesn't matter if you think that you really weren't that bad of a person before you knew Christ, because without Christ,  your life was consumed fully by your sinful nature.  It was fully consumed by pride and self-centeredness.  We were just like everyone else.  God was angry at our sin.

But what I love about history, is that you can take the past and learn from it.  It teaches you.  When you came to Christ, you didn't amputate your history.  Your history will always be your history.  But the amazing thing about history is that it's useful (I know, I know, some of you students would argue with me on that point).  History explains why things happen.  You want to know why the Middle East is in such an uproar and Israel is in the middle of it all?  Look at history.  You want to understand why the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred? Check out history.

Your personal history is useful too.  It's a constant reminder that you don't want to go back to the way you were before Christ.  But it's also a constant reminder of how far God has brought you.  God never wastes your history.  You may think that it's full of brokenness, sin, and disappointments, but God will use it.  He will use it in your own life.  He will use it in the lives of the people around you.  He will use it.  Because while you can't outrun your history, you are not defined by it.  You are not who you where.  You were bought with a high price.  You are worth something.  You are chosen by the Creator of the Universe and he knows your name!  You have immense value and nothing you have done in your past can change that, but maybe your past (and present) could help change someone's future by bringing them a little closer to Jesus.

We all need reminders of who God is and where his mercy has brought us.  Because his mercy has changed us. I want to leave you with the words to one of my favorite songs by Point of Grace. It's called Heal The Wound.  Here are the lyrics:


I used to wish that I could rewrite history
I used to dream that each mistake could be erased
Then I could just pretend
I never knew me back then

I used to pray that You would take this shame away
Hide all the evidence of who I've been
But it's the memory of
The place You brought me from
That keeps me on my knees
And even though I'm free

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

I have not lived a life that boasts of anything
I don't take pride in what I bring
But I'll build an altar with
The rubble that You've found me in
And every stone will sing
Of what You can redeem

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

Don't let me forget
Everything You've done for me
Don't let me forget
The beauty in the suffering

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Road Through Ephesus... Different Ephesians 2:2

I realize it has been quite some time since I posted on Ephesians.  All I can say is life has been crazy and I needed a break from writing and deadlines.  Between VBS, moving, and starting a new job, I became exhausted and in need of time to myself.  But now I'm back.  Hoping to get back into the routine of writing.  I hope you'll stick with me as we continue to dive into Ephesians... So let's jump.

Ephesians 2:2

"You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil-- the commander of the powers in the unseen world.  He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God."

Just let that sink in for a moment.  Before, we were just like the rest of the world.  We obeyed the devil and refused to obey God. I hope that you caught that before we were just like the rest of the world.  We used to be like them but now, because of the work Jesus did on the cross.  Because of the reconciliation that can occur between God and man, followers of Jesus are supposed to be different. 


We shouldn't continue to act like or think like the rest of the world.  We should not be living in sin.  We should be different, changed, transformed.  Check out the way Paul states this in his book to the Romans: 


Romans 12:2


"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."


People should be able to look at the way we act and the activities we participate in and know we're different.  They should be able to see living, breathing, imitations of Christ walking around among them.  Sadly, too often we all tend to look a little like to world.  I know that there are times when I look at myself and wonder what's so different about me compared to the rest of the world.  Because I know Jesus, I should be different.  But often my actions and life don't reflect that.


What about you?  Are you still refusing to obey God and obeying the devil in some part of your life?  Can people look at you and tell that there is something different about you, or do they look at you and think, "Oh, she's a Christian?!?  She doesn't act any different than I do.  Why should I be a Christian?"  Is the way you live your life different than the way the rest of the world lives their's?

Let's be different.  Let's be the oddball, the anti conformist, and the peculiar ones.  Because if we aren't different, how will the world see that they need Jesus?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Update on Life...

I haven't written in a while but I wanted to give you all a little update on life in general. This will not be a continuation of the Ephesians blog (hopefully that will start back up again soon), but rather an up date of what God has been doing in my life lately.

As much as I would like to start this big long back story, I think I'll first state the simple fact that I have moved to Indiana. Now, you may be asking yourself, "Why did she move to Indiana?" Well let me tell you.

It all started almost three weeks ago on the Wednesday of VBS week (July 27). Well, I guess it really started the day before. My aunt and uncle called to let me know about a job opportunity in Warsaw Indiana as a Sign Language Interpreter in the local high school. I wasn't home (I was actually at work) so my mom had them email me the ad. I looked at the ad and realized that I qualified for the position and decided to apply for the job, thinking there is no way on God's green earth that I will get this job. I have no experience and I just graduated. But oh, how God works.

Wednesday I applied for the job. The application was online and took around an hour to fill out and get a cover letter together. 40 minutes later I had a call for an interview. Because I couldn't get down to Warsaw as quickly as they needed to interview me, they decided to interview me over skype. The interview was then scheduled for 8 am that Friday (July 30).

The interview happened. It wasn't anything spectacular and I really wasn't sure how it went or if I really even wanted the job if I was offered it. I was completely and utterly confused and spent the next little while in tears (when I'm stressed or confused, I cry). By Sunday I had come to the conclusion that I really did not want to live in Warsaw Indiana. Though part of me was still very confused. I really wanted God's direction. That night I went to Lighthouse at Woodside and the message was specifically for me. The songs were each directed directly at my heart. The funny thing was, the lead guitar player and the one leading worship had a finger in a splint so he had had to change all the songs they were going to do to songs that didn't use that finger in any chords. God is really cool like that. By the end of the service I knew that I was going to Indiana (if I was offered the job).

Monday was okay. Tuesday things started to go a little down hill. I really just kept praying for peace and the thing I kept hearing God say to my heart was this: "Don't worry, pray. Take your eyes off yourself and put them on me. Then you will have peace. Put your eyes on me." Unfortunately, I didn't quite heed that and instead kept worrying about it. So the next few days were rough emotionally. By Thursday I was doing better about keeping my eyes on God. Which was a good thing since that evening I received the job offer. After crying over the phone to family and friends, I accepted the job on Friday.

Long story short, I moved down here this past Sunday and just finished my first day at a public high school.

I'm sorry if some of this doesn't make sense. I went to post it originally and blogger crashed on me and didn't save the full post in my drafts.