Eeck... Sermon on the Mount

Last Wednesday I was in my Practicum class, and Stuart Greaves gave us a message on "verbal processing." He talked about how we (people) operate in the midst of relational pressure, and usually we are not walking in meekness and love.

One of the issues he addressed was the issue of not addressing issues. When we feel like someone has a problem with us, instead of going to them and asking them about it, we simply wait it out and/or talk to others about it. The way to walk in humility and the affections of Christ is Matthew 5:23-24.

When I heard this, I was immediately convicted about a friendship that I have been on edge in. For so long, I've been feeling awkward with this guy, and wondering if he was trying to give me the hint that he didn't want to be my friend. However, because I didn't want to let him know that I care, I haven't said anything to him. So, I determined right then that I would go and "pursue a journey of clarity and understanding" (i.e. talk to him).

It was totally awkward asking him if we could talk, and I was so funny about it, but I just prayed that the Lord would make our conversation not so weird. And it worked! I met with him and found out that he wasn't at all trying to give me any kind of hints, and it really opened up my heart to be able to treat him rightly as a brother in Christ.

I'm so grateful that I had to immediately act on the principle that I learned because it was ingrained in me in such a deeper way by doing it. Now, I am actually committed to walk in this principle for the rest of my days.

Here's the bullet-point notes of the message... if any are interested:
Processing.

-many people are plagued by fear
-when there’s fear, we do all sorts of things
-issue of processing and complaint when something happens in a way we don’t expect, in a way that bugs me, in a way that doesn’t meet our expectations

What do we do when we feel this way in the context of a relationship/classroom?
1. Psalm 39. Silence. Be quiet about it.
-Quickest but hardest solution.
-“Heart grows hot within him.”
-The HS will talk to you or God will vindicate you
2. Matthew 5:24. Find your brother and reconcile it with him.
3. Spirit of Matthew 18.
a) It can take years
b) Jesus does Matthew 18 on us—the spirit of conviction

-both 2 and 3 have issue of going to brother in private
-by discussing it with others, we feel validated in our complaint (commiserating)

*Infrastructure in place for our safety
-sometimes don’t go to someone b/c we don’t feel safe
-there are generally 3-4 layers of authority above whoever you have a problem with
-leadership is present to create context for appeal, to bring a solution

-fear of man = caring about what people think about you so much that you compromise in disobedience, what God tells you to do
-we have such a fear of how we’re perceived

**Become a people of courage and honesty within your heart/soul**
-everywhere you go, there’s a process of appeal
-don’t be afraid of being vulnerable
-“Suzy…are we okay?”

-Leadership = weak people who know how to push “delete” really quickly!!
-we must have revelation of confidence and intimacy with Christ, confidence in the grace of God, to break out of sin and run toward God in our weakness

Num 11:15. Kill me and make me see my wretchedness no more.
-there are things that happen that expose our weakness
-cling to grace of God to strengthen yourself and others
Judges 5:2. when leaders lead, the followers willingly offer themselves…

*Pursuing a journey of clarity and understanding*
-this generation has a love language of agreement—that if you agree with me you love me

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John 17:6.
-Mission and mandate of Christ
-He gives them the knowledge of God, revelation of who God is
-one of the most important things about a man is his thoughts about God

2 Corinthians 4:4-5.
-the knowledge of God is revealed thru Christ
-our primary message is the knowledge of God, so we must know Him
-the Enemy seeks to blind the mind

Eph 3:8. Unsearchable riches of God…
2 Cor 10:5. Cast down thoughts that are against the truth of who God is to liberate the hearts and minds of ppl…
2 Cor 11:1. purity and simplicity in the devotion of Christ!!!!!

Meditating on the Word.
-it’s so simple, it offends my mind
-thru the pure and simple devotion of knowing Christ, we will have access to the One who has all treasures of knowledge

Zoe Bohlender

Right now I am watching a beautiful little baby girl (Zoe) who is the adopted daughter of Randy and Kelsey Bohlender. She is absolutely gorgeous, and she's from Nevada, so that makes her even cooler.

Well, Tuesday was the beginning of ninety days of consecration for the Evening Section (6pm-Midnight) at IHOP. We're about to come into a huge shift in the Prayer Room in partnership with GODTV, and before it happens, we're committing ourselves to the Lord.

In April, they will be filming live 24/7,which is a dynamic reality for the nations, but a sobering one for us here at IHOP. Most of the time, it is not lack or smallness that tests the heart, but actually it is prosperity that is the hardest test, as it is so easy to be deceived and get off track because of the multitude and the many. We don't want to be those who have a reputation of devotion and look spiritual, but on the inside be dead and man-pleasing.

Anyway, all that to say that we are coming into a new season of corporate life that's pushing me to get my personal life on track. Exciting, but revealing. I've been praying through 1 John lately, and I love his honesty. He's not afraid to draw the line between truth and presumption. It's causing me to go, "okay, how much does my life actually line up with 1 John 5:2?"

The Tension of a Lovesick Heart

Right now I'm listening to Session 14 of Mike's Song of Solomon series. It's so funny that I've been at IHOP for a year and a half now, and this is the first time I've heard this message. I really need to start going to the Friday night services.

In the past, I've been so afraid to be radical or go too hard afer the Lord, but He's wooing me back to that place of lovesick extremity at the heart level. I don't want to be found at the end of my life knowing only my own depravity and just a little bit of the beauty of Jesus. The only way I'm going to be changed is by gazing on Him and His power in me, not on my own weakness.

He nudged me a few days ago because I was getting hazy about the definition of "getting to know Him." I was thinking about quitting FSM to have more time of personal prayer, but as I prayed about it more and more, He spoke so clearly through one burning heart that I absolutely admire: Stephen Venable. Here's what he said,

"Through your prayer room time and your study you ARE getting to know the person you love. Part of intimacy is experiencing Him and communing with Him, but part of intimacy is also filling your mind with the truths concerning Him and learning about Him. Studying the life of Christ, for example, and spending hours learning historical and geographical information so that I can better understand the Gospels is a profound expression of intimacy, and that is about as academic as you get. When I see Him we will have things to talk about because I know where He went, when He went there, and what it was like. You don’t have to put intimacy on hold during your time at FSM…my point was that you won’t totally see all the fruit of your training right now but in the days to come it will be manifest more and more…"

Ah... the voice of wisdom in the midst of a dramatic young adult after God. When I read this, I went, "Man, I need revelation about what I'm really doing, feeling, and going after with the things that I'm already doing."