Archive - November, 2009

In Christ

November 30, 2009 in Challenges with 12 Comments

john3-16

Yesterday at church, we as a congregation spent some time reciting the following.

This is a declaration on the reality of things we have in Christ. The only thing we need to do, is make it our own.

In Christ… I am reconciled with God (2 Cor 5:19)

In Christ… there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1)

In Christ… I can do everything (Phil 4:13)

In Christ… I receive righteousness, holiness and redemption (1 Cor 1:30)

In Christ… everything is new, the old is done (Rom 5:17)

In Christ… I have life in abundance (John 10:10)

In Christ… I have authority over the enemy (John 1:12)

In Christ… I have eternal life (Rom 6:23)

In Christ… I walk with the Spirit (Rom 8:2)

In Christ… the truth shall be my witness (Rom 9:1)

In Christ… I form part of the body of Christ (Rom 12:5)

In Christ… I have reason to glorify all things about God (Rom 15:17)

In Christ… I can share God’s love with others (John 3:16)

In Christ… I find my true identity (Eph 1:11)

In Christ… I have a new life (Rom 6:4)

These are just a few of the things that are true reality for us ‘In Christ’.

Now, go out, make these your own, and share it with the people around you.

Faith

November 30, 2009 in Challenges with 41 Comments

image Last night I had a humbling experience. During the course of yesterday I developed a serious stomach cramp and ache. I cannot figure out why this happened, but a few hours before leaving for church to do sound check (for worship) I was lying on the ground in a small curled up ball.

When we arrived at church we completed sound check with my stomach still feeling pretty horrid. A few minutes before the service was suppose to start we (as always gathered) for prayer and focus. During this time some of the band members saw my discomfort (most likely due to my facial expression). As part of the preparation for worship we engaged our spirits and praised God. Following this a few of the guys in the band prayed a simple faith prayer for me, asking God to provide strength and healing.

I was amazed when at the end of this 10 minute period and prayers my stomach crap had disappeared. Praise God! My stomach was still sore, but the cramp that had me twisting since a few hours earlier had disappeared.

This experience hit home hard… We trust in God for miracles and for big things, but yet we deny Him the ability to touch us in the small things. We have faith in God when things seem impossible – but how often do we really engage our faith in the daily “trivial” things.

The words of Jesus came to mind: “O ye, of little faith”. These words where used at various places in the bible to rebuke the disciples when they seemed to doubt in Christ.

Matthew 8:25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
Matthew 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Matthew 14:30 But when he [Peter] saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Matthew 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

O God, help me today to trust is you… completely. My you have faith to see miracles in the big and small things in your life today.

Be Responsible

November 27, 2009 in Challenges with 10 Comments

MessyDesk

I have been asked this question a couple of time before, that if through God’s grace our sins are hidden from view, why we just don’t carry on sinning, or whether we can just carry on sinning.

The thing is, that when you come into Christ you don’t want to sin any more.  You want to live a righteous life, and you want to go out and be Jesus for other people.

In 1 Peter 1:17 it is stated very nicely, as to how God would react to this as well

You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.

Sloppy living for me is to just let go. To just give in to those sins that He has delivered you from and gave you salvation over.

When Jesus hung on the cross, He took all our sins unto Himself. Are you really going to be so selfish, to carry on doing it? I don’t think so.

Yes, Satan will still come and tempt you, as only he can, but in Christ we are strong and we have the power to withstand the attacks of the evil one.

Stand strong in Christ, and live a responsible life, for Him and for yourself.

Unconditional Love

November 26, 2009 in Challenges with 34 Comments

Smile

What a fail from me this morning. I let my temper get the better of me and I screamed at my baby girl because she couldn’t sleep due to cutting teeth.

I was so tired I didn’t know what to due, and lost it. My temper is something that I have been working hard at to keep under control, as it can get the better of me very quickly. And now this morning I had to loose it on her.

I felt so bad, and didn’t know how I could remedy the situation, as I could see that she was really shocked at my reaction.

In any case, after some pain medication for her, she finally went back to sleep, and I was able to get in another hour, to tally my sleeping hours at about 4.

When she got up a couple hours later, what did I get? The BIGGEST smile ever. It really knocked me. How is this little girl able to forget her fathers reactions so quickly, and just show love towards him?

Thinking about this after dropping her off at day care, it hit me that that is exactly how God is towards us. Even if we do the worst thing possible, His grace is still big enough to love us. We don’t deserve it, not for a second, but He does.

This is the amazing thing in following Christ for me. Thinking about grace just gets me every time.

The Relationship

November 25, 2009 in Challenges with 0 Comments

the relationship

1 John 4:13-16

This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.

I have wondered, for quite some time, how do I actually know that I have a relationship with God?

Yes, I do praise Him, and worship Him, and He does speak to me, but the whole relationship still seemed to me like a bit of a pipe dream.

Yesterday, while driving to work, God placed 1 John 4 on my heart, and reading it carefully again this morning, I finally read this section.

How awesome is it to know that through proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God, we can know that we have a relationship with God.

Maturity

November 24, 2009 in Challenges with 178 Comments

simple

So, carrying on from yesterdays post of Christ in me, I read another scripture that was shared with us during the service on Sunday morning.

Colossians 1:26-29 (The Message)

This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

This piece of scripture is just so amazing. I gives you the overview of what we need to do in Christ’s name in a simple 3 verses. What struck me this morning though, is what maturity in Christ is. To be BASIC!

How simple and how profound?

What does it mean to be basic?

Christ was, in all His glory, BASIC!

This is a very profound thing for me. I sometimes think that I have to be well versed in scripture, to be able to carry on, and hold my own, in heavy theological discussions.  I think that I need to be able to pray complicated prayers. Where as this scripture states it clearly, be BASIC!

This morning in the car, stuck in traffic, was a profound moment for me, just praying. For the first time in a very long time, I was able to pray simply to God for the little things in life, and just proclaiming my love for Him.

Me we all go after being BASIC today, and bless the people around us with the simple things in life, like an uplifting word here and there.

Welcome to the new Unsafe Challenge

November 23, 2009 in Challenges with 1 Comment

I just want to inform you, that Unsafe Challenge is busy undergoing a bit of a revamp.

Certain features such as RSS subscription and Email subscription has not been added yet, but please be patient, and all will be back to normal as soon as possible.

If you still want to subscribe via RSS just click here.

also, please feel free to comment on features you would want to see here on Unsafe Challenge, and what you think of the new theme.

Update: 26 November 2009

New Social Networking tabs added to the right side of the screen.

Intimior, Intimo Meo

November 23, 2009 in Challenges with 19 Comments

John14_12

More intimate to me than my most intimate – St. Augustine

This was the topic of teaching yesterday morning at church.

This has been my thoughts for the last 24 hours.

Do I let God get closer to me, than I am to myself? Or do I still hold out on this one little piece of myself that I want to control, and not want to surrender to God?

For me, and probably for most of you, that answer to the last question will be yes.

Is this holding out not maybe the one thing that is causing us not to live our lives fully in Christ?

Reading John 14:10-12 Jesus states that what He is doing is the Father, and not Him, and through the Father, we will be able to do the same, and more.

John 14:10-12 (NKJV)

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

How awesome is it to realise that Jesus was perfectly human, just the same as you and me. To know, by faith, that we are able to perform miracles, through the Father, just like Jesus did?

Until the whole world hears…

November 23, 2009 in Challenges with 5 Comments

Until the Whole World HearsLast week saw two new CD’s crossing my path. I have been eagerly anticipating the new Casting Crowns album. I spent the weekend listen to this on almost a constant repeat. The lyrics and vocal arrangements provides a familiar warmth and listen to Mark and the guys is like visiting with an old friend. The metaphor should not be mistaken for a dull same-old same-old disappointment, but rather a hugely fulfilling experience of being shaped by someone you trust and that speaks into your soul with authority.

Even though the music is so familiar it is not boring or dull, but rather the guys (and girls) for Casting Crowns speak profoundly with bold and relevant lyrics. The same musical traits that drew me to their music is previous albums is still alive and well in “Until the whole world hears”. Songs like “Joyful, Joyful” gives me a spirit kick-start and instantly changes my state when the violins add their unique arrangement on a classic.

Check out http://www.castingcrowns.com for great behind-the-scene video interview that adds a lot of context about the band and the album.

Personally I have huge respect for the musical ministry of Casting Crowns. I love the true church grown honesty of their intent to worship and minister. If you ever get the opportunity to see them in person please do so since it provides not just a great show, but so much more – truly a powerful moment for encountering God.

The Noticer

November 22, 2009 in Challenges with 2 Comments

_200_350_Book.50.coverThe Noticer by Andy Andrews is page-turning book on perspective. Young Andy meets Jones, an old, homeless man that has a gift of noticing certain aspects of people’s life and assisting them to gain perspective.  The chapters each share how Jones assist various people with gaining perspective on various life issues, from family and marriage life, business ethics, old age, financial struggles, depression to children and helping others with what you have learned.

This book is relatively short, in ten chapters the entire story develops and is so stimulating; I found it quite disappointing that the story should end.

I loved the way the story flows, the suspense of who Jones will assist, in what way in the following chapter. The way the character, Andy develops through the book is also motivating. I appreciate the way the author describes each character and their struggles is described in a honest, sensitive way.

The overall message was very inspiring and challenged me to see both sides of a story.  This book is of great help so see your own and other peoples struggles in a different light.

I can recommend the book to all, the principles addressed is timeless and biblically based.

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