Journey: Guangxi

We focused on anger and forgiveness today. We all get into conflicts, there are always difference in opinions, and just when people don't get along. It often can spark anger, and tension, but thats completely fine, no one ever said that you had to get along with every person you see. But how you deal with it is whats most important.

When there's conflict, there are two main roads we can take.

Bitterness. You can take this conflict and make it anger, you can twist it into revenge, and act upon it. It can get much worse, its practically playing with fire. Whats worse is that when we are bitter when we hold grudges, it doesn't help. It affects us, our relationship with others as well as our relationship with God. It will eat you from the inside out and the bitterness will eventually start pouring out of you.

Forgiveness. God calls us to forgive, continuously, over and over again. When forgiving, you are channelling Christ's love for us, and similar to bitterness or anything in general, as you channel and invest yourself into something more and more, you eventually start to be it and it starts to reflect and pour out of you naturally.

Along the lines of conflict, forgiveness, and bitterness, the next step is repentance. Especially when you've done something wrong. Repentance isn't a formula, some ritual you do, but it is a choice that you make, a change in thinking. When you decide to confess and repent, you acknowledge what you are doing wrong, and you make an effort and change, to stop, to fight it. This allows for growth, and strengthening in your faith and in your character.

On a short terms missions, even every day, we're dealing with problems and people, we must learn to follow Christ, forgive and love. Turn the other cheek.

²⁵ And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Mark 11:25 

Protection.

What is the cost of protection?


For a country, it may be billions of dollars. For your car, a coat of wax may handle it. For the place you live, it's probably rows of overlapping shingles that deflect the rain and shrug off the snow. 


Shingles protect everything beneath them, but look at the plywood they're attached to. Nails used to fasten down the shingles puncture and splinter wood. 


Are the shingles doing their job of protecting the wood? Yes - but at a cost.


Protection is never free. It always costs something. 
If you love and follow God he is with you. He dwells in your in the person of the Holy Spirit. But that protection comes at a cost. 


1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

You are protected. 

Apologies

Matthew 5:21-26
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Apologies. 


Anyone and everyone can say them, but how many of us truly mean it? For me, personally, it takes a lot to apologize for someone. I hate to admit I'm wrong, and we'll, I rather just run away from the situation than swallow my pride and say, "I'm sorry for my actions." 


But how do you truly show someone you're sorry? Not through words, but through deeds. God even states in Matthew that we shouldn't come to the alter while there are arguments with our brothers and sisters. He rather us drop everything at the alter and ensure our relationship is saved  before going before him. Doesn't that mean something? Doesn't that show his love towards us? 


Apologizing might take a lot. It takes a humble spirit and gentle soul to admit we're wrong, but it may avoid a needless rupture in your relationship with anyone. 

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The best way to get to the last word is to apologize. 

May His Will Be Done.

Some things just don't work out. God has a plan for each and every one of us. Lately i've been learning and thinking about giving up my life to Him. Im sure each of us have some things in our life that we are still holding onto, unable to let go of. May it be something personal, a secret, or a person, a relationship, we hate not having control of things. I know when i plan and organize things, things must always be under control or else it just doesn't work out for me.

There are some things we can't control. For instance, university acceptances. We can work hard, and get those marks in as high as we can, but the decision the university makes are completely out of our control. I think that its in these times where we have to learn to let go, and give it to God to handle. He is greater, he has a paved road for us, its up to us to focus on that road, or for us to be curious on things that are off the path.

Let His will be done. Humble yourself, and let Him use you has his instrument to do good, to spread his love. He knows whats best for you, he's always looking out for you, he won't leave you behind or leave you trapped, he only wants whats good for you. That is only if you let him.

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord     than to trust in humans.

Psalm 118:8 

A Heavenly Home.

We may think about our dream home and make it spectacular in our imaginations. But, when we go camping out in the woods we use a tent. Now compare those 2 shelters.


How different would it feel to live in both of those shelters.


How is the life we live now different from Heaven. 


2 Corinthians 5:1-5

 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

The earth is like a tent compared to the mansion of heave. All you need is a key to get in. The Spirit is the key, the proof that you belong there - your reservation for heaven. 

Building A Life That Matters

1 Corinthians 3:9-17
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Have you ever played with Lego? You know that in the beginning, there's usually instructions on how to build whatever your Lego was purchased for, but most of the time, we just go ahead and start connecting some bricks. Half of the time, we're unsatisfied with what we built, and take it apart and begin to build again. 


Let's say you want to build a ship, but you don't know how. You go through trial and error until you become frustrated, and a friend, who knows how to build the ship you want, comes along. Would it not be smart to listen to your friend's direction in order to build the ship?


Just like our Christian walk, sometimes we go through trial and error daily, until we finally turn to God and listen to his instructions on how to build up our lives. 


"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." [1 Corinthians 3:10-11]


The only foundation and person we should listen to when it comes to building our life is Jesus Christ. Without him, there is no building since he is the foundation. Let's listen to God and learn how to build our lives up! 

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The Bible is the Christian's blueprint for life. 

specify in prayer.

Sometimes i feel like prayer life can feel like such a routine. Sometimes i pray, and i confess that sometimes its just nonsense coming out of my mouth. And i know that its so wrong, that i shouldn't be praying like that, but it just happens sometimes. I feel like its very dull.

I was reading my devotions before heading into first period today, and it was about pray specifically. Instead of saying things like "Lord, bless and heal the sick ones", you can pray for those who are sick that you know. I personally do do that often in my prayers, i have specific requests, and certain people i pray for. Just something about it seems dull. I feel like that spark is kinda of lost, and I'm unsure of how to get it back.

I think what i can do right now is just to try my best to be fully honest in prayer, and be wholehearted. Not to rush it, and to treasure it because I'm spending time with the God of the universe. It can easily be just brushed off because its hard to realize how BIG this is.

 ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

James 4:3 

The Iron.

Ironing calls for a delicate balance. You use heat and pressure to shape your clothing, to smooth imperfections, to get your shirt or slacks crisp and looking their best. In a way, heat and pressure combine to mold and shape you. To prompt you to deliver your best and become your best. To do what you thought was beyond you.


It's a delicate process, and you probably resent every minute of it. We don't enjoy being molded. We'd rather avoid pain. And it may feel unfair that God uses pressure and heat to call us closer to him. The pressures of a world in need to prompt our response, the heat of our passions to ignite a love for him and his purpose. 




1 Corinthians 10:12-13 

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Pressure and heat aren't your enemies. You needn't fear them. The pressure will never be too great, the heat never overwhelming. 
Because you're not along in the pressure cooker. The Holy Spirit walks with you. 

Here I Am

1 John 3:16-23
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How do you know you're hearing the voice of the Lord?


I've been asked that question a few times and it's hard to answer that sometimes. The thing is, the Lord's voice isn't loud and booming; it's soft and light as a feather. Sometimes you don't realize he's talking to you until the moment has passed and the information has finally sunk in. 


It's so easy to be mindless about his commands and what he wants us to do. There have been countless times where I walked by homeless individuals with God yelling at me to give something to them, or walk past a hurting person who really is in need of a smile or someone to talk too. At times, I've basically ignored the clear voice of God in my head. But that's not what God wants us to do.


"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but in actions and in truth." [1 John 3:18]


God doesn't want us to proclaim his love, but show it. In this day and age, it's so easy to throw around those words, "I love you," but how do you know when someone is sincere about it? It's simple. Show them.

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We are at our best when we are serving others.

There's Nothing God Can't Do.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He has a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, "Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!"


Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a kind, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!"


Mary said to the angel, " I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?" 


The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God. Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do."


"I and the Lord's servant," said Mary; "may it happen to me as you have said." And the angel left her.