Phil 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

I love this exhortation from Paul because we are constantly in a stage of sanctification reaching for Christ and pressing forward in this race. This verse is what both Brooke and Rebecca (the missionaries we were with in Costa Rica) encouraged us with when we left. This has been such a good reminder and guide to check my heart to keep pressing on in the race of Jesus Christ. Coming back, I see the danger of being satisfied with the level in which God revealed himself to me in Costa Rica. I depended on Him for strength in a way I never had before asking continually for the grace to keep pressing forward when my flesh didn’t want to. However, I need to remember that God did not reveal Himself in this way just to have me stop pursuing Him. I need to keep pursuing Him with the same desperation because NO ONE will truly experience the presence of God to the fullest until we get to heaven. Therefore, I must press as close to Him as humanly possible. I confess that here in the United States I find it harder to have that thirst when all your physical “needs” and wants are met, yet having this accessibility only creates more distractions to fight and move on. For truly the only thing that I need in this life that will always fill, always be faithful and never reject is my Lord Jesus Christ.

Application:

Today, I am going to use my spare time throughout the day to pursue the Lord. This can be praying while I am doing KP, servant time or taking a break. There was so much fruit that came out of pursuing the Lord through my whole day in Costa Rica instead of just in the morning, and I don’t want to lose sight of it.

Acts 21:1 “Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.”

Here Paul is closing one chapter of his life with the Ephesian church and moving on to a new chapter. Wow, this sure describes what I am going through right now. I am closing these last 9 months preparing to set forth in an exciting new path.

I love the phrase “running a straight course”. Paul wasn’t looking to the left or the right but was continuing forward. He wasn’t worried about what was behind or before him but was courageously stepping forward into what God had told him to follow through with.

 In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah constantly had to overcome the blows of fear that came his way. These blows could have easily paralyzed him in his tracks stopping the progress of his vision, to rebuild the wall of Judah.

This lesson was critically important for me to keep in mind because as I am moving forward into this next stage of life, I want to not look to the left or the right infringing upon seeing the full vision of God for my life.

Application:

Today, I am going to take every fearful thought captive to the obedience of God. I am not going to let these earthly things with God’s strength paralyze me from doing everything that He has put in my heart to accomplish.

Acts 20:38 “…sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.”

Wow, this verse sums up what I was going through about two weeks ago in Villarreal, Costa Rica. The reason the Ephesian church is grieving over Paul’s departure so is because they knew they would never see his face again. This was THE HARDEST fact about leaving Costa Rica, the thought that I may never see any of these people again. I am thankful that the Lord could call me back, but I had to prepare myself for not getting this opportunity as well.

However, at the same time, the beauty of being fellow believers is that we all have the hope of heaven seeing each other again face to face. This is so beautiful and what I am so grateful for in the Kingdom of God, the huge reunion of God’s people. Grief is something that I don’t think anyone can get over but the hope of eternal life sure puts my heart at ease not only as I left Costa Rica but also while I am preparing to leave the ranch. Only God knows when all our paths will cross again but we can be sure we will all reunite in heaven before the throne of God.

Application: Today and especially for when I leave, I am going to try to keep an eternal mindset. I need to mentally prepare for the fact that I may never see some of you or those in Costa Rica again after this, but we have eternity to look forward to spending together.

4/11/12

Acts 20:37 “Then they all wept, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,”

Here is a heart-wrenching moment for Paul and the believers. Paul was leaving for good and they knew he would be facing persecution. How easy it would be to just throw in the towel, go, and hide from the danger Paul knew was awaiting him. Yet Paul kept persevering.

Last night Pastor Mike was talking at Tuesday night chapel how important it is to keep strong in the Lord not making those subtle decisions along the way. Those subtle decisions start to add up and they affect what you do for the rest of your life. This was huge because as Pastor Steve said, I want to be a victor with God on the throne and not a victim with myself on the throne.

I want to continue having the mindset of dying  to myself. The only way Paul could keep going was to live out Phil. 1:21 which states, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” TO DIE is GAIN. Wow! Dead men have no rights. I am dead in sin and alive in Christ.

Application:

Today, as I continue to search what God wants me to practically do when I go back home I will remember to not necessarily choose the easy route but the route that God is calling me to. Because I want to live out my life as a victor, I need to consider myself dead giving the throne of my life to the Father.

Acts 20:36 “And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.”

What an example the apostle Paul is showing the church of Acts right up to the last minute when he leaves. This shows to me how important it is to have prayer corporately making it a priority in life. Prayer isn’t something we just do but should be seen as vital to flourish in life with Christ. Prayer is just as important as reading the Word. I have really come to realize that not only is there sweetness in reading and journaling through God’s Word but also in prayer time with Him alone and with others.

As part of our commitments for this month, we interns committed to praying corporately at least three times a week. These have been sweet times so far but I can see how easily it can become an obligation to fulfill a commitment. It is not to be looked as this but instead a desire within to spend more time with the Lord together seeking Him for answers as well as worshiping Him.

Application:

Today and for the rest of this week, I will start looking at these times of corporate prayer not just as “fulfilling the class commitment” but something that could radically change our hearts if I come expecting to see the Lord work.

4/9/2012

Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

First, I find it very interesting in the beginning of this verse because Paul is saying that he actually brought praise before God about the brethren. What a wonderful example this is because Paul is training himself that even in the privacy of his prayers to have an eternal mindset…seeing others as God does washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. I am sure at times Paul was annoyed with the brethren or thought, “Can’t they at least get down this simple truth?” But this is where the rest of the verse wraps up in one single word, “GRACE”. GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense Grace builds up; without grace we would all have to be perfect and we all fall short of that. Because we all fall short of perfection, forgiveness is given to us that we might have an inheritance among the sanctified.

During my time in Costa Rica, I read the book, “In the Grip of Grace” by Max Lucado. In it, I realized how I had been living my life in a very legalistic and striving way. God did not expect me to be perfect…and I never can. Trying to be independent getting it all right and “earning good works” was actually hurting God because He wanted me to be DEPENDENT on Him. He knew I couldn’t do it in my own strength…only in His power.

Application: During my prayer times, I am going to start adding in praise for those around me before God. It gets my heart in the right place and deepens my love for those around me.