I've got to start with the spiritual stuff because it's fresh on my mind. I'm so thankful that I've found a church here in The 'Ham where I can worship my Lord and be fed weekly, and sometimes daily. I don't know if it's the fact that I'm growing up or if God is just really opening my heart and eyes to what he is doing or both, but lately I've really just started being broken down by the Holy Spirit.
Today, our church services were led by the youth at our church. Well over 100 sixth through twelfth graders were involved. They did a music type thing which told the creation story and the fall of man and then told about the graciousness of God to send his Son to die for our sins so that we could live in eternity. It was put together by various people in our church with music played and sung by the youth, sets built and painted by the youth and some fantastic choreography made up by the youth. However, the most mind-blowing thing was when student after student would come on stage and quote scripture after scripture.
Now, I was a Bible Driller. I can say the books of the Bible in 30 seconds or less and if I really think about it I could probably do it backwards. I memorized verse after verse and passage after passage but you know what? I probably could only pull about half of what I memorized out of my head right now. Maybe not even half.
These kids didn't just memorize verses of scripture. They have hidden ENTIRE chapters in their hearts. There was one girl who came to the middle of the stage and quoted Romans 8. The entire chapter. And she didn't just say it from memorization. It was like she was just speaking the words, like she had written them herself. It was like she was in a courtroom giving her closing remarks. The passion in her voice and on her face was unlike anything I've ever seen before.
I was completely broken down in amazement of these students and in awe of God's work in them. I mean, here are these kids who are on average about 10-12 years younger than me, who definitely have more on their plate than I do when it comes to memorizing things. They, as a group, committed over 150 verses of God's word to memory. Boy, do I have some work to do if I want to memorize James. That's only 108 verses. There were 12-year-olds quoting chapters of Genesis and Isaiah and Psalms. God is awesome, isn't he?
I just had to stop and praise God for raising up a generation that is ready to stand up and take their place in this world. The fire in these kids heart for God and for the nations makes me excited and ashamed of myself all at the same time.
Just as my pastor said tonight, I am a citizen of two places. I'm a citizen of the United States but I'm also a citizen of Heaven. The latter should have an extreme and radical effect on my citizenship here on Earth. If I'm not living for Him, what am I living for? Because everything around me is going to pass away someday and if I haven't been living for Christ and doing his will and making disciples and living radically for the cause of Christ, I've wasted some serious time.
I love it when God just stops you in your tracks every now and then and just says, "Slow down. I've got this covered. Just do what I say. And watch. Trust me. This is going to be cool."
John 14:12 says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
Um, did I just read that correctly or did Jesus just say we will do greater things that He's already done? Jesus, are you sure about that?
Yeah, I'm pretty sure He's sure about that. That's a little daunting for some, but just reading that makes me excited. He's going to use me and you and all other who have faith in Him and believe He is the Son of God and can do whatever He wants to do, to do greater things than He ever did while He was here on Earth. That's awesome!
For the past several weeks, God has really been breaking me down and challenging me to really look in my heart and figure out what I'm doing with my life. Am I supposed to go overseas for 11 months out of the year to share the Gospel with those who've never here? I don't know. Do I quit my job and completely shift gears in my career path so that I can more effectively serve him? I don't know. What do I do? I don't know. But that's what I'm hashing out with God right now. How do I more effectively serve him and those around me and make disciples at Samford, in Birmingham and in all nations?
I'm excited to see what God is revealing to me everyday. Please pray for me that my eyes, ears and most importantly my heart and my mind will be open to what God is telling me to do.
We sang a song tonight that I have recently fallen in love with. It's be Hillsong, and if you don't know their music, get to know their music. It's good stuff.
It's called Hosanna. This is a Hebrew term that means "please save or save now." It was used when Jesus entered Jerusalem. "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. In Christianity, it is a cry for salvation while at the same time being a declaration of praise. It's so fitting because everyday we have to consciously surrender to his will and recognize that we can only be saved by Him. I want to leave you with the words of this song.
I see the king of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
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