grace

Recently I've developed this idea in my head that I want to be rebellious.  It occurred to me that sin sounds fun.  So I started taking actions to be "rebellious."  Not anything too extreme, but non-the-less, rebellious.  


I started feeling very guilty about it, because I know I'm better than the things I was doing.  If for no other reason, it was unhealthy.  


I was talking to my good friend about the mistakes I had been making and how I wanted to sin, then almost out of no where, I said to him that my life is always going to be messy because I want nothing more than to be with the messed up.  I went on to list all of these things that my heart is crying out to do.  Then a few hours later I watched this incredible sermon another friend was teaching.  It rocked my world.  I'm not going to go in detail, I would rather just encourage you to watch it, but it talked about being a new creation.  The thing about this guy is that he makes his teaching practical and tells you how to live it.  He literally used a diagram and gives so many illustrations that it's almost impossible to not understand the message.  He literally talked about how sometimes Christians get the idea that it would be fun/enjoyable to sin.  Or how other Christians just feel like because they struggled with it before Christ, they always will struggle with it.  He explained the concept of becoming a new creation, then how to renew your mind.  To watch his video, click HERE.  To read an article of his on renewing your mind, click HERE.


His video really brought me full circle.  I saw that my mind was being deceived that I wanted to sin.  I remembered what I told my other friend about wanting to devote my life to messy people.  I realized my heart knows who I am.  That I am a new creation.  However my mind was trying to convince me that although I was a new creation, my actions still would reflect my old nature.  False.  My actions will reflect my new nature.  I just have to train my mind to remember who I am in Christ.  I am hidden in Him and I shall not forget again.  I have the Hebrew word "zakar" tattooed on my wrist, which means "to remember."  You'd think I would have gotten the hang of it by now...  


I'm thankful for grace.  


I'm thankful that God doesn't give up on me, even when I hurt Him and run from Him.  


I'm thankful that I am a new creation with a heart of holiness.


Feel free to take a glimpse into my heart, into my Fathers heart...  


(I wrote this a few minutes ago into a message to my friend who preached the new creation sermon)

My heart just desires to be sitting on the dirt floors of brothels brushing the hair of a girl as she prepares herself for her night at "work," selling her body to numerous men, I want to be there, loving her out of her bondage and into the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus. I want to go into villages that have been cursed so that no baby will make it out of her mothers womb because girls are disposable, and I want to speak life over the women and tell them about a God who values them, a God who created them in His image. I want to touch lepers and see their rotted limbs turn new. I want to sing orphans to sleep and have them tell me about the dreams they have of this big Papa who dances with them in the moonlight.

Holiness & Love

Under the Old Covenant, only certain people could touch “holy things.”  Whoever the priests (who were holy) touched, would become holy.  I’m reading through the Old Testament and am currently in Numbers.  I just read a passage that said, “Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die.” (Numbers 4:15). Reading the OT has really shown me the magnitude of Jesus’ death and resurrection and how it literally changed everything.  Under the Old Covenant, most people, even among the Israelites, where not seen by God as holy.  However, under the New Covenant, in Christ we are always seen as holy because Christ is holy and we are in Him.  

There is a shelf above where my head rests on my pillow when I am laying in bed.  On the bottom of this shelf, the last time I was home from college, I wrote “There is nothing you can do to make God love you anymore than He already does.  There is also nothing you can do to make Him love you any less.”  This may seem confusing or not like a big deal, but think about it.  He isn’t going to love me more because already loves me perfectly. He isn’t going to love me less because Jesus died to take away my sins once and for all and Love counts no record of wrong.  So no matter how many times I tell Jesus I love Him, but then spit in His face, He still loves me just as much as when I read the entire books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs in one night.  No matter if I pray for 24 hours and do a 40 day liquid only fast, He’s not going to love me any more than when I said mean things to my mom.  He loves me perfectly and there is nothing I can do to change that. 

the gospel

Why should we live in condemnation and shame for the sin we have committed in the past?  Our Father remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12).  In the testimony of Jesus writing in the sand, He didn’t say, “Go and live in regret and condemnation of your past sin and let it haunt you for the rest of your life as a constant reminder of the fact that you’re a dirty sinner.”  He actually said (John 8:11), “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”  If I’m at my house and I am standing in the bathroom, then I walk to the kitchen, I am no longer in the bathroom, I am in the kitchen.  If I leave a life of sin, I am no longer a sinner, I am a saint.  

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  (John 8:34-36)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

If you are in Christ, the Father sees you as holy (1 Peter 1:15), stop living as if He sees you as some nasty sinner who deserves hell (Romans 6:6-7).  Walk in freedom my beloved brothers and sisters (Galatians 5:1, 25).  Live a life that’s worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1) - you have been calledsons (Galatians 4:7).  

Be free in Christ, my friends, be free.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. [Galatians 5:1]

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much lately.  Honestly, life has been pretty crazy.  Let me update you.

I'm going to India this summer for the entire month of July.  Leaving June 28, coming home August 2.  The organization I'm going with is called Advancing Native Missions, but we'll be working with Bombay Teen Challenge. It's sort of funny, I'm going with several older women (not terribly old, but no one my age).  We'll be spending some time in Mumbai, but most of our time will be spend in Ashagram, Jubilee homes, or the AIDS home.  Ashagram (Village of Hope) is a large compound with a home for women who have been rescued out of sex slavery and are learning a trade, the Bible, receiving counseling, etc.  Also within the Village of Hope there is a boys home, for street boys and the sons/nephews of prostitutes.  The Jubilee homes are for the daughters of prostitutes, street girls, at risk children, etc.  The AIDS home is for HIV positive children and AIDS orphans.  I'll probably spend time at all of them, finding my fit for where to spend most of my time after visiting them all.  More than likely I will be helping to teach English, perhaps some Bible classes, and other things.  I'm not entirely sure what the Lord has in store specifically for me to do, but I know I'm going to be loving these children in the name of Jesus.  :)  


I'm graduating an entire year early.  Not just one semester like I thought.  I'm graduating from Liberty University, May 2012, with a Bachelor's degree in Health Promotion: CHES, at the prime age of 20.  


I also may have a position lined up to be a health clinic coordinator in India for an extended period, following my graduation of college, but I'll save you all that information.  


In other news, Jesus is amazing.  I FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY UNDERSTAND MY IDENTITY IN CHRIST.  I am more than a conqueror.  I am a saint.  I don't have to live by the Old Covenant any longer.  It is for freedom that Christ has set me free.  I have authority in Christ.  Holy Spirit lives inside of me!  The KINGDOM IS WITHIN ME (Luke 17:21)!  I don't have to ask God for more of Him or fire to fall on me, because HE IS ALREADY DWELLING WITHIN ME!  I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit!  


If you're interested in learning about what I'm talking about, feel free to check out my other blog or these resources:  


http://iamrevival-blog.tumblr.com/post/3507567699/new-covenant

http://classyliving.tumblr.com/post/3560540989/a-quick-statement

For scripture on your identity in Christ, click here.