Beautiful Dreamer

   The crescendo and diminuendo rise and fall within me as if a part of me. The lilting melodies lift my feet and spin me around the room, while the haunting strains expand until I think that I will burst. Through this all, a picture is forming in my minds eye; I see it as if through a fog, always taunting, always just out of reach, always perfect. It creates in my chest an ache. If I could only get past this mist that is clouding my view, if I could only find myself in this breathtaking, unearthly, land. I chide myself for my discontent spirit, and then I wonder. I wonder if it is wrong to dream of this place that will never be. 'Or perhaps', the whisper comes, 'perhaps it will.' What if, this is how I am to long for my true home, what if, it is my true home. I am a pilgrim after all, and as such, is it wrong to dream of going home? Can I be called discontent for fixing my eyes on what is ahead as I have been commanded? No, I won't thrust this to the side. I will instead embrace it, and allow it to renew my world-worn soul. I will allow it to lift my heart and mind to higher and nobler things, as I look to that which is ahead. Yes, this is a beautiful dream, one to be kept guarded and sacred. Kept until the day that my Father makes it come true and I live happily ever after!

Rak Chazak

Ellerslie's latest BraveheartedTHOT!
Very powerful, and convicting!

In the Wilderness

 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness
                                                         -Mark 1:12

   There is an important principle that is mentioned in three of the gospels, but is often overlooked by many of us today, and that is the principle of preparation. In our society today we can cook a meal in 5 minutes or order one in two. Unless the battery is dead, our cars start when we turn the key (no more of this hand cranking business). And instead of having to "prime the pump" water comes out of the faucet with the slightest push on the knob. This mindset seems to have crept into our walk with Christ, and we expect to become 'fully equipped' Christians within minutes of our salvation. We discard seasons of waiting on God's direction as "wasting time", and we jump headlong into Christian ministry without the slightest particle of preparation. Jesus Christ, the son of God, perfect, sinless, and "fully equipped unto every good work", spent forty days in the wilderness in preparation for His ministry. It wasn't because He was second guessing God's call, or postponing the inevitable, it was that He understood the importance of spiritual, physical, and mental preparation.
   I like to think of this in relation to the Sabbath. Did God really need to rest on the seventh day, or was He setting a precedent for us? Likewise, how much of Jesus' time in the wilderness was necessary and how much was for our benefit?
   Our world has changed in the last 100-200 years. We no longer live the simple, slow paced life that our ancestors did, and we expect God to adapt to this. In reality, He is the same "yesterday, today and forever" and He is calling us to adapt to Him. He is to be found not in the hustle and bustle of every day life (though He is most certainly there) He is instead to be communed with in the quiet place. Are we listening to His direction, and allowing Him to sanctify and prepare us each and every day?
   Yes, that idea for an orphanage in Zimbabwe is a wonderful and God given idea, but have you spent time allowing God to prepare you and to give you His directions? Yes, that is a wonderful, godly person, and you feel God wants you marry them, but have you spent a season in prayer, waiting on His timing? Yes, going to church on Sunday is an excellent thing to do, but have you prepared your heart for the sermon?
   God sanctifies and refines us through the little things He places in front of us, the small daily tasks or steps of faith. But if we are too busy  jumping into the next big thing, then we may miss the simple yet essential lessons, or the small but beautiful truths that come to us in the wilderness. Do you have a wilderness where you can retreat for quiet and rest, or do you only know the bustle of the city? Christ is calling us to "come away" with Him. Will we listen, will we respond?

Conforming to anti- conformity?

   Yesterday I read a very convicting post, and while not all the illustrations apply to me, the core of the post hit me between the eyes.
   I am a people pleaser, and not just any people pleaser I am an opinionated people pleaser. Course, thing is, my opinions are geared toward pleasing people. (oxymoron? I think, yes.) I decide not to conform to the world and in doing so attempt to conform myself to a different group of people, albeit more Christ-like. Now, I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with doing things the same as other people (anti-conformity for any other reason that following Christ is just as wrong), because if we are all following Christ's lead, there may very well be some aspects of our lives that look like someone else's. I am saying, however, that when we begin following others instead of Christ, we will just be conforming in a different way.
   I love to read, and I love to learn about how to be a Christian. Mix these two loves together and you will know why my Christian Living books are knocking other books off my shelf. Now, I think that it is very important to fill your mind with edifying literature, but in my case, I have been taking the opinions of others at face value, making them my opinions, instead of letting God's word guide my convictions as I discussed in a previous post. As, true as something may be, I am robbing myself of a strong and sound faith. I will be more prone to be 'tossed... about by every wind of doctrine', instead of being 'firmly planted' as God has called me to be.
   Is there any place in your life where you are conforming to someone else's standard? (and again don't freak out if someone else holds some of the same views and convictions as you, that is to be expected) I know that I'm not the only one who struggles with this. If you are, what are some ways that you can get back to Christ? For me, this means laying aside all of my Christian Living books for then next week or so, but it may look different for you. Do you have any beliefs that you are not convinced about? Let's take the next few days and together search our lives. Lets pray that God will 'try our reins' and 'search our hearts'. If you want to I would love to hear what you have discovered. (and if you have trouble commenting, try commenting under 'anonymous' and then leaving your name so I will know who you are) And don't forget to pray for me, as I hammer out my own faith and attempt to conform to the person of Christ instead of someone else's pattern.

Renewing our minds

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
                                                -Romans 12:2



   I've heard the first part of this verse many times in conjunction with messages on being yourself, so when, during a quiet time, I read the full verse in its proper context, it provided me with a full day of meditation. As I took the verse apart phrase by phrase, God revealed to me such incredible truths! As I said before, I had heard all about anti-conformity, but I wasn't sure how to go about it until I read the second part of the verse, and then it made so much sense! I realized that if I was filling my head with worldly things then I was going to conform to the world, but by filling my heart and mind with God's word I would slowly begin to look more like Him. This really excited me; I had never heard about this remedy to conformity, and it was so simple. Then I read the last part and I had to stop and think for a minute. What did 'prove' mean? I looked it up in "Vines Expository  Dictionary of New Testament Words" and this simple definition: "to test, prove, with the expectation of approving", really brought the whole verse into a new light. When we begin to renew our minds, not only will we begin to look less like the world and more like Christ, but we will be better able to discern, "to test" and "prove" His will. So often we over complicate the process of discerning God's will for our lives, but here He has given us a simple and effective formula. He is telling us that if we will only abide in Him and continually renew our minds by spending time in His word, then His will, is not going to be so hard to find, and that is an incredible promise!

The Case for Hymns

O God, our help in ages past, 
 our hope for years to come, 
 our shelter from the stormy blast, 
 and our eternal home. 

I have a thing for hymns. Not that I don't like contemporary Christian music, because I do. I just don't think that anything can top a good hymn! Now, most of my generation would disagreewith me on this point, and I'm fine with that, in fact, I'm used to getting strange looks when I admit that I don't listen to theradio. But,I'd like to speak to my generation anyway, and make a case for hymns.It's common knowledge that the best way to learn about a culture is to read it's literature, and I would venture to say that the same is true about hymns. Alot of times we look at the past generations and sigh, because they seemed to have so much victory in their lives and were always so strong, and we despairof ever being like them. We grow discouraged because we will neverknow how to live such full,beautiful lives. I would disagree with that! The great Christians of old have left behind them, the 'secret' to unlocking the victorious life,in the form of hymns. If you really look at the words you are singing, instead of dwelling on the (to your mind) boring tune, you would realize the incredible power and glory that the hymns attribute to God, and the wondrous things that the writers have witnessed through that power! You would learnof the rewards of complete sacrifice and acceptance. You would hearfirst hand accounts of the joys of following Jesus! I truly believe that if more of my generation would realize the treasure trove that is the hymnal, we might see more of the spirit of the great men of old here again.And that would be an incredible sight!

Modern Rome

³⁰ and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ 
                                       -  Matthew 23:30




   The crowd perches on the edge of their seats as the lion stalks out of its cage. As one, they swing their eyes to the trembling victim in the middle of the arena. Hushed whispers and little else can be heard as the lion circles its prey. If your close enough, you can count its ribs and see the cold, hungry look in its eye. Suddenly, as though some-how connected, the lion and crowd surge forward, reveling in the carnage.

  Know what that is? Yep, you guessed it, the Colosseum; the most astounding symbol of human depravity, probably ever. But you know what, when you turn the hard, stadium seating, into plush chairs, and the lion into a zombie, I have just described the nightly scene in many homes and theaters nation wide. Think about that one! 

   We can condemn the Romans for their depraved blood lust, and thank our lucky stars that we live in a civilized era, but the truth is, Americans today are just as blood thirsty as the ancient Romans!  

   I see your head nodding through my computer screen, but I'm about to add a twist that might get you where it hurts. You ready? The difference between the bloody arenas of yesteryear and the high tech t.v. screens of today, is this: while in Rome the Christians were the ones suffering for the entertainment of the masses, the Christians in America are the masses. 

   You can spit and sputter all you want about how there is a difference, but I fail to see how watching zombies suck peoples brains out ( I guess that's what happens?)  and watching lions rip them to shreds is that different. Oh, and lest you use the argument that its not real, I want you to consider the motive. Why is that even an option for Christians today? Our God is a God of life and of light, not of darkness and death. We are called to live in His glorious light, and no where in the Bible are light and death compared. In fact, darkness and death are more often used, consider these verses: Job 3:5, Psalm 107:10-11, and Psalm 107:14. 

   Now I don't say these things to judge anyone, but to exhort my brothers and sisters in Christ. (and contrary to popular belief, sometimes that includes saying hard things) I am saddened by the state of modern Christianity, it has all the weakness of the world and none of the strength of Christ. And I truly believe that once we stop acting like the world we will shed it's weakness and its inhibitions and learn to live productive, victorious lives. Lets step out and live differently. Let's show with our actions (or lack thereof) that we are sick to death of this 'arena Christianity' and we are ready to live outside of modern Rome, 'in a land where we'll never grow old'.