Not In Words But In Power

"For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk about in power."
1 Corinthians 4:20

I was reading 1 Corinthians 4 today and this little verse jumped off the page at me. In context, there were some in the church of Corinth that were arrogant and talking themselves into a sense of power. Paul was reminding them that it isn't about talking one's self up or even talking God up, but rather it is the power of God.

This verse has stirred up something, I might need to mediate more upon it and ask God for more wisdom concerning it, but I think it might be the original wording to a popular phrase we use. "Actions speak louder than words." Without getting too specific, because it isn't my place to, I am going to relate a story to you that I think goes along with this.

About a week ago, a friend of mine shared great news. As she shared, I was having a very hard time and, honestly, was repeating a lie of the enemy in my mind. The lie was so overwhelming and my emotional state was so poor at that moment, I had to retreat. Literally! I got up and walked away. I made some feeble excuse, better known as not the whole truth, and away I went in tears. Which spoke louder to her, my words or my actions? Well, my actions. Did my actions speak what I intended? No! My actions were completely wrapped up in the swirling lie and my emotional state not in her news, but that wasn't the powerful statement that she knew. All she knew is that I was leaving her in the moment of great joy and it hurt her.

She and I have since talked. I explained what was really going on. She told me how she felt in the moment. I apologized. Great, right? Well, it's a good start. Yup, just a start. Because it isn't about talk it's about action. Now, some might think I have missed the whole point of the above Scripture. I know that the verse is talking about the kingdom of God, but as His follower, his heir, am I not apart of His kingdom too? Do I not have a responsibility to respond in the power of the Holy Spirit and not just in my own words or supposed power? Yes. My words should reflect that He is in me. As well, my actions should reflect the power of the Holy Spirit in me.

Therefor, when God spoke to me and told me that as nice as my words were to her, it wasn't enough, I knew I need to do something specific. Is my own pain still a part of all of this? Yes! I still have a heart desire longing that is a part of me, and many times that longing feels painful. Does that pain run smack dab into her great news? Yes, it does. I will not deny the pain is still there. She knows it is and understands it in a way most people never could. Even though it is still there I need to act in the power of Christ. I don't want to give anything away, because she doesn't know yet, but God gave me an action that I hope will speak much more loudly than my previous actions, which were not directed at her but were fully wrapped up in me. Also, this action will speak more powerfully that any words of support or encouragement that I could give her, at least I believe it will.

So many times we talk.We talk and talk and talk. I think maybe we need to shut up a bit more and act out more from the power that He has placed within each of His followers. We need to act in the power of the Holy Spirit. He's in us! I guess it's time to shut up and time to start acting up!

www.fggam.org

Death Brings Life

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
John 12:24

Death is a scary word. When I think of death I think of pain. I know there can be painless death, but I guess when I think of death I don't think painless. Pain is not something most people enjoy. We have whole stores dedicated to stopping pain and a health industry that tries to relieve pain and stop death. Even with medical breakthroughs death comes to each of us.

I think about the seed mentioned in this verse. Seeds are buried into dirt and they die! But when they die something amazing happens. Life! The seed breaks and growth comes out of it. That growth continues and breaks the surface of the soil and reaches toward the light. Water and light causes the new life to grow up. Weeding and fertilizing helps it grow up to become the plant that the seed was intended to be. Then that plant can bear fruit.

Now, this verse really isn't taking about seeds that go into the ground, but rather about seeds in us. There are ugly seeds, let's face it most seeds aren't particularly pretty, that are placed in us and in order for them to bear fruit they must die. The death of the seed usually is painful. I'm not sure how long it takes an actual seed to die, but the death process of our seeds can feel so long. Then it starts to grow. It is striving to get out of the soil of us and reaching for the Light. This striving involves growing up right there the soil, pushing aside dirt as it heads up. This part of the process is painful as well. Moving and shifting, and even breaking through dirt clumps in us. Then it breaks the surface. Ouch, that hurts! That breaking through process seems like it must be the last painful part, but then comes the pruning and plucking of the fruit.

Although the whole process is painful it brings further life. That life helps us, but it also can be used to feed and nourish others. If the fruit isn't picked then it will just rot on the plant. I certainly don't want to have gone through the whole death and growth process to just have my fruit die. I may not enjoy the pain of the fruit being plucked, but it is much better than just having what Christ has grown in me go to waste.

What's the point of this whole post? Well, I guess it really is a reminder to me that the whole process is worth every ounce of pain, even when that pain feels unbearable. Sometimes I want the dying to end. Sometimes I want to shifting inside me to end. Sometimes I want the breaking out to end. Sometimes I want to keep my fruit all to myself. Even though I feel this way sometimes I truly do want to continue to grow and that means dying, growing, and reaping.

www.bbbseed.com

Hope

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. "
Romans 15:13

Can I just say that I am feeling hopeless right now? Well, I guess I can since I just did. I also know that I'm not the only one! Why do I feel hopeless? Honestly, because I am not looking to the only One who brings hope. I am too busy looking at my circumstances, my pain, my wants, and my desires. I am too busy looking at what isn't there and not at Who is there.

God didn't breathe life into Scripture and say, "now, that I've said this it'll be easy to follow." The Scripture is full of verses of struggle, of human weakness, of fear, of sorrow. Yet for every struggle there are verses that speak of hope and peace. For verses that speak of our weakness we are reminded that His power works through our weakness. For every fear He says "fear not". For every sorrow He reminds us that weeping only lasts for a night, even though that night can feel so very long.

This verse doesn't say that hope and joy and peace are automatic. Paul asks that we may be filled with all joy and peace. Not just joy, but all joy. Not just peace even, but peace in believing. Have you ever not felt peace while trying to believe? I have, actually I do right now! This verse is set up like an if...then statement. If you are filled with all joy and peace in believing, then the power of the Holy Spirit may abound in hope. We have to have the first part, the filling of God's joy and peace, in order to have the hope that the Holy Spirit has the power to work in us. He is in us, that happened already, but with God's joy and peace filling us up He can go to work giving us abounding hope.

I have a choice. I can keep my eyes on me and my circumstances, or I can choose to ask for the God of hope to fill me with all joy and peace in believing. Once I make that choice I guarantee one of two outcomes. If I choose me then I stifle the power of the Holy Spirit to give me abounding hope. If I choose to turn to God and ask for this joy and peace, then I open up the flood gates for the Holy Spirit's power to make me abound in hope. It seems like an easy choice, it really does, but the truth is I choose me more than Him. It isn't always easy to choose His way. It costs part of me, a yucky part, to choose Him. That isn't easy, but hopefully it becomes easier for me to do that. I have to give up and give Him control to do what He wills in me. I have to make this choice daily. Once again, I will not say it is easy, and I will not say I choose it every time, because I don't. But the choice is always there.