a joy that never ceases.

"Did you think joy was created to live always under that threat? Always defenseless against those who would rather be miserable than have their self-will crossed? For it was real misery. I know that now. You made yourself really wretched. That you can still do. But you can no longer communicate your wretchedness. Everything becomes more and more itself. Here is joy that cannot be shaken. Our light can swallow up your darkness: but your darkness cannot now infect our light. No, no, no. Come to us. We will not go to you. Can you really have thought that love and joy would always be at the mercy of frowns and sighs? Did you not know they were stronger than their opposites?"
-C.S. Lewis  (The Great Divorce)

This quote is from a story about a man on a bus ride to hell and then to heaven, witnessing what choices people are making. I highly recommend this fairly quick, yet intense read. It shows a vibrant picture of heaven and hell where everything Lewis says is meaningful.

One thing The Great Divorce reminded me of is how the joy of the Lord is everlasting. It was kind of ironic that I finished the book this weekend because over this past week God has been continually reminding me of that. I had a week of midterms that I thought would never end, but they did. The excitement I had was so incredible at 5p.m. when my last project ended, and I felt free as a bird. I was extremely happy (This feeling was partly because I had a great amount of coffee in me and not much sleep). This was, however, a temporary feeling. Joy to me is different.

Joy is something that lasts. It is something that we can have even in our worst moments. Jesus Christ gives us a "joy that cannot be shaken," according to C.S. Lewis. I wholeheartedly agree with him. When we have Christ in us, we have a joy and Savior that conquers death and Satan. I definitely lose sight of this during hard times, but that is why we have the Holy Spirit in us, Scripture, and hopefully other Christ followers around us to encourage us. I am evening learning what it means to have joy while suffering. To even desire suffering for Christ (I would love to chat more about this with you because it is something God rocked my world with these past two weeks).

At the Let the Nations Be Glad seminar, John Piper talked about God wanting joyful worship. That is God's ultimate purpose in creation and redemption. This joy is found only in Christ. This joy is that we are to glorify God in everything. That is what God wants. He wants worship. He deserves it.

“For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another." -Isaiah 48:9-1

If you are struggling to see the eternal joy you have in Christ or even are not sure if you have this joy...Talk to God about it. Then talk to someone else if you have questions or thoughts. God wants you to have His joy, if you are going to commit to following and worshiping Him.

distraction and satisfaction.

i become distracted. 

i get caught up in the stuff i have. 

i'm tempted to put my identity where this world tells me to.

i want things. 

i try to rely on myself. 

i judge people for what they say and do. 

i envy people at times.

so what do i tell myself?

Jesus has redeemed me and forgives me.

Jesus came to give us life, and life to the full. 

Jesus is where my identity is found.

Jesus overcame the world. 

Jesus' power is made perfect in my weakness.

Jesus made me just the way I should be.

Jesus is my satisfaction.

i am not perfect and no human on this planet is. i wake up every day knowing that Jesus is my rock and redeemer, yet there are times when i struggle. i am having this realization that pursuing holiness is hard. i knew that it was before but i think because the sermon series at my church is about this, i am being confronted by it. so thank you hope cc. you are making me dig deep into what is going on in my heart and life.

i become distracted and so does every other person i know. i hate that our world is a big amusement park of distractions. there are so many "fun" things in our society that people entertain themselves with and think they are satisfied by. this is because satan knows that our flesh is easily tempted and he knows where to tempt each person differently. our flesh is the problem. we were not meant to be satisfied by this world.

i used to think getting all A's would satisfy me. it did not. i used to think having it look like everything was perfect in my life would satisfy me. it did not. i used to think people could satisfy me. they cannot. these things were all distractions in my life. distractions that were disguised as satisfactions.

people are distracted with work, technology, video games, money, drinking, partying, sex, relationships, and the list goes on. i wish i could just scream out (in the most loving, gentle way) to  people that these things will not satisfy them. some of these things can be good. our money can be used to further God's kingdom and help people, but only if we obey God with it (Pastor Steve talks about this a lot). the distractions and issues, "are symptoms of heart issues. i think Jesus is the only cure for these things," says Joel from Ascend the Hill. he is right on. people are looking for something and these distractions are because of deeper issues. people are longing. creation is groaning. we are yearning for a Savior. as i see the depravity of my own sin, i long more and more for Jesus. i trust Him as He cleanses me because i, along with every other human am sinful. Jesus is what satisfies me and gives me complete joy, just as He promised:

"as the Father has loved me, so have i loved you. now remain in my love. if you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as i have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. i have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. my command is this: love each other as i have loved you." (John 15:9-12)

if you want this joy that Jesus offers, i encourage you to seek after God. pursue him and not the distractions. talk to God. worship and obey Jesus. put your faith and trust in Him. repent, but know that you are not doing that to make Jesus love you more. He already has died on the cross for you, so receive Him as your Treasure! i become tempted in this world, so i am going to hang a sign up by my bed that says- good morning, kill sin today and do as much damage in the kingdom of darkness as you can. follow Jesus. He loves you and died to give you life to the full.  

"this world will let you down. it will turn its' back on you. it will leave you wanting and desiring more every single time. you can search far and wide for hope and satisfaction and truth and life and fulfillment, but that only comes from Jesus." -Joel Davis 

(i was searching for this song on youtube and look what i found...some NWC friends made this.)

 

here are hope cc's sermons: http://hopecc.com/sundays/sermons.html
here is an interview of Joel: http://www.heartsupport.com/blogs/addiction/ascendthehillinterview1.html

7 long days in 2 worlds.

I am normally not as honest with people as I should be. I tend to put on a mask of having everything together. Well, honestly, I don't. I am going to write what is on my heart. My heart hurts and longs to be with my Savior. It hurts and wants the pain to go away. It hurts for the people who are suffering. It hurts because of the world we live. It hurts because I am weak. It hurts because God is refining me.

My heart is also filled with joy because of what is going on in my life. It is filled with joy because I am a daughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. My life is not perfect, but in my weakness, Christ's power is made perfect

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me" - 2 Corinthians 12:9. 

My heart is filled with joy because I am unbelievably blessed by my friends and family that God has given me. It also is full of joy because I am alive and have so many amazing things to look forward to. These writings will be about the hurt and joy my life is full of. 

Seven days ago I was writing a near 60 page plan book for one of my PR classes. If someone were to tell me what I was going to go through during the next week, I would have laughed at them. 

The past 7 days have been some of the longest, hardest, most thought-provoking seven days of my life.

Why? Many reasons. 

One, that is what printing off over 70 pages of a paper and project does to you. Two, my Bible became  dusty. Three, chapel was powerful over the past. Four, good and intense conversations with friends happened. 

My life is becoming harder as the days go on. I am caught in these two worlds. One world is where I want what this world wants. I become jealous, I compare, I worry and become stressed, and do some many other things I was not created to focus on. Then this other world I am caught in is one that makes me feel alive. It is one where I ask the Lord questions, talk about real issues, listen and I mean truly listen to people, have to rely on the Lord, and look at life as a gift. These two realities are conflicting because that is the world we live in- a fallen one. My life is full of hope, but it is also full of sin. I was talking to my friend last week and she was talking about how much she hated sin. Until, this weekend I had never looked at it like that. I hate sin, too. Sin makes me feel useless, hurt, not who I am supposed to be, average, lonely, and so much more.

Though, there is good news- we were created for good. This is something that I have to remind myself of because there are times when I think that all this world has to offer is what I see in our culture today. We were created to glorify God in all that we do and I know that I cannot do that without Jesus Christ living in me. My prayer is that the people I know would realize how desperate they are in need of Savior. God came to save us. He did not come to just be a good person and obey His Father. He came to die and rise again for this broken world. There are so many people who are not going to be in heaven because they do not understand this. They do not understand what it means to live for Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him. Sin has taken over this world and it is something that I know we cannot just confess. We have to ask the Lord to help us overcome it. Jesus has overcome it all, but without His help it will not be gone from our lives. If I were to believe in something else, I would not have hope. I would not be able to see my loved ones again after I die. And I would not be able to have an eternal purpose. 

The past 7 days have made me wonder a lot about my sins. My reality that is I am in need of Savior. I am in need of a God who loves me despite my faults. He loves me and no lie in the world or my head can stop that love. 

Jesus, I thank you for your love. It will not let go of me. It has overcome death. Jesus, Your love is strong.