IT'S ABOUT THE KINGDOM, DUH!

Just having some thoughts about the Kingdom of God.  


It's so interesting when I look at social media hotspots like Facebook and read people's statuses.  I wonder how often we think about the Kingdom of God.  It's easy to get so wrapped up in this life and all of the commotion that goes on day in and day out, that we forget the power of God and His Kingdom.  I mean, what would it be like to have the FULL power of God's Kingdom operating in our everyday lives.  What will it be like when the Kingdom of God is 100% active on this planet!  I just get so sick and tired of all these politic wars and oil wars and family wars.  I'm fed up with school shootings and teen suicide and bullying.  I hate seeing the poor suffer and orphans neglected and children kidnapped.  I'm tired of hearing the police sirens and people swearing and yelling at each other.  This crazy world is not improving.  It doesn't matter who the president is or how big are military is or how much money we have.  We are not the answer to our own problems.  We can not fix our world.  We are all in need of a rescue.  Even the earth is in pain.  The earth quakes and the oceans roar and all of creation cries out for deliverance.  We need a better earth.  We need a better planet.  We need a better way.  We need something outside of ourselves.  We need something that is not from here.  A Person and a Kingdom that was not built by human hands.  We need King Jesus and His Eternal Kingdom to come and rule this place.  And so I say, "Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!!!"   

THAT'S EPIC!!!

I just finished reading another amazing book called EPIC: The Story God Is Telling and the Role That Is Yours to Play.  Man, I love these short and easy-to-read books!  They are so jam-packed with awesome wisdom and insight.  This is another one of those must-read books that I highly recommend to any follower of Christ.

Check out this quote from page 80:

Seriously now--even though we were given Eden as our paradise, this whole wondrous world of beauty, intimacy, and adventure, in the life to come we will be sent to church forever because that's better somehow?  There is no hope in that.  That's not what's written on our hearts.

I mean, really.  We have dreamed better dreams than God can dream?  We have written stories that have a better ending than God has provided?  It cannot be.

I have some really good news for you: that's not the so-called Good News.  Not even close.

John Eldridge has certainly captured my imagination for a world that is completely restored by the power and love of God.  One day all that we see and all that we are will be restored - made new!

We were created for exploration, passion, wonder, intimacy.  And since God has planted eternity in the human heart, when we transition from this life to the next, all of our limitations will be removed and we will once again be able to live our lives fully for the glory of God.  Every new discovery, every living breath, every voice and every song will be for the glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

  

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

QBQ! The Question Behind the Question

I just finished reading this awesome book called QBQ! The Question Behind the Question - What to Really Ask Yourself to Eliminate Blame, Complaining, and Procrastination by John G. Miller.

It is a super easy read (Read it in about 2 hours) but the application is amazing.  The main idea of the book can be found on page 17:

"Now let's talk about the tool that brings personal accountability to life: the QBQ.

The Question Behind the Question is built on the observation that our first reactions are often negative, bringing to mind Incorrect Questions (IQs).  But if in each moment of decision we can instead discipline our thoughts to look behind those initial questions and ask better ones (QBQ), the questions themselves will lead us to better results.

One of the guiding principles of the QBQ is "The answers are in the questions," which speaks to the same truth: If we ask a better question, we get a better answer.  So the QBQ is about asking better questions.  But how can we tell a good question from a bad one?  What does a "better" question sound like?

This book will help each of us learn to recognize and ask better questions.  For starters, here are three simple guidelines for creating a QBQ:

1. Begin with "What" or "How" (not "Why," "When," or "Who").

2. Contain an "I" (not "they," "them," "we," or "you").

3. Focus on action.

"What can I do?" for example, follows the guidelines perfectly.  It begins with "What," contains an "I," and focuses on action: "What can I do?"  Simple, as I said.  But don't let its simplicity fool you.  Like a jewel, the QBQ is made up of many facets.  In the following chapters, we'll explore these facets and see the powerful effect asking QBQs can have on our lives."

This book was one of Dave Ramsey's Top Recommended Books to read and now I understand why.  I am encouraged to focus on asking QBQs and to look at how I can take responsibility for my own life rather than expecting others to change or make my life better!

Definitely a must read!

Jasen

BTW - Favorite quote in the book: "Humility is the cornerstone of leadership."

WARNING: This may be convicting to some people!

I have been reading "The Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller, and I am halfway through the book.  Let me just say that in my opinion, it is a MUST-READ for everyone, especially every one who is a Christian or a follower of Christ.

There are many things to quote from this book, but I thought I would share this as it reminded me of the attitude that is so easy to have as American Christians today:

WARNING: This may be convicting to some people:

"Though elder brothers may be diligent in prayer, there is no wonder, awe, intimacy, or delight in their conversations with God.

Elder brothers may be disciplined in observing regular times of prayer, but their prayers are almost wholly taken up with a recitation of needs and petitions, not spontaneous, joyful praise.  In fact, many elder brothers, for all their religiosity, do not have much of a private prayer life at all unless things are not going well in their lives.  Then they devote themselves to a great deal of it, until things get better again.  This reveals that their main goal in prayer is to control their environment rather than to delve into an intimate relationship with a God who loves them."

God help me to not use prayer as a means to try and control my circumstances.  Help me God to humble myself before You at all times - just to be in Your Presence.  Just to be close to You - just to be held by You.  Help me to dive into an intimate relationship with You - the God who loves me!

"30 Days of Prayer - Day 19-25"

Well, it's been about a week since my last blog entry.  That was partly due to being out of town, and just taking some time away to reflect and refresh myself.

In church today, we showed a video by Amena Brown that talked about "Prayer" which I wanted to share with everyone here on my blog.

Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld5FKgFRy_8

At church today, I talked about Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 and I think that this video does a great job in not only summarizing the 3rd chapter of Ephesians but also summarizing everything that we discussed over this month of September.

I leave you with these verses, just as a gentle reminder of God's indescribable love for us.  Oh How He loves us!

Ephesians 3:14-20

 

¹⁴ When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,^{[e] 15} the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.^{[f] 16} I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 ²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

"30 Days of Prayer - Day 17/18"

Book Review: The Lord's Prayer by John Ortberg 

I finished this book a couple days ago, and I definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone who wants to learn more about prayer, especially the famous "Lord's Prayer" found in Matthew chapter 6!

Here are a few paragraphs from the book that describe for the most part what this book is all about:

"Has your mind ever wandered while you were praying?  You want to be focused and engaged in the experience, but the next thing you know you are wondering if you remembered to turn off the stove, if you closed the garage door, or if you should take a vacation next summer.  A wandering mind is something we all face as we seek to become people of prayer...

Jesus knew that prayer can sometimes deteriorate into mindless babble or "sacred" worrying.  We all have experienced this.  We begin praying sincerely only to start rambling through a series of words with no idea of what we're saying.

Jesus gave the prayer recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 as a tool to help us get beyond such mindlessness.  He intended to give us a simple structure and some helpful themes and categories to focus on so that we could remain mindful as we pray...

Jesus did not give us a prayer to memorize and repeat over and over until our minds go blank.  It is a launchpad from which we are lifted to high places of worship, petition, confession, and so much more.  Every time we pray this prayer, something new and fresh can happen."

This book is awesome and it helped me see the power behind the "Lord's Prayer."  I encourage all of you to check it out and learn more about the importance of having a consistent prayer life!

 

God Bless,

Jasen

"30 Days of Prayer - Day 15/16"

PRAY UP, STAY ALERT, AND BE READY!

An American missionary team spread out across a Russian city to prayer walk (pray for people to receive the Gospel).  One of the men was noticed in the city park by a Russian man who asked, "Are you from God?'

As they talked, the Russian asked if the team wanted some Russian Bibles.  He led the way to a building a few blocks away.  There the American was introduced to the head of the local KGB, who pointed to a large warehouse across the street containing Bibles they had confiscated over the last seventy years.  Given permission to give these Bibles back to the people, the overjoyed team quickly began passing them out on the street corner.  Within minutes all had been given away.

As the crowd began to leave, the American saw his new friend sitting on the curb with tears running down his cheeks.  When the missionary sat down beside him, the man pointed to the inside cover of the Bible he had been given and said, "This is my grandmother's Bible!  Twenty years ago when I was in the Communist Youth Corps, she told me that communism would not last and that the only answer for my life was Jesus Christ.  I laughed at her.  She died several years ago, but I never forgot her words.  Today I know there must be a God.  Only He could have made certain I received her Bible.  Please tell me how I can know this Jesus!"

Read Hebrews 2:1-4

Jesus has always revealed Himself to people in many ways.  Angels announced His coming and He performed miracles to show He was from God.  He still does that.  You never know when He might want to use you in someone else's miracle.  That's just one of the things that make the Christian life so exciting!  So pray up, stay alert, and be ready!

Taken from the SYATP 2011 Devotional Guide