I just listened to this short teaching by Bill Johnson about the power of your testimony (video is below). He made one statement that really resounded with me, "If you speak out of your experience you are not just giving information you are giving the power for transformation." It really got me thinking. It first relayed the reality of our relationship with God; authentic experience is essential in our walk with Him. It is what distinguishes us from all other religions because we serve the one true God who is alive and active. Secondly, it relayed the power of one's testimony. Information is nice, but, a testimony is more than information. A testimony reveals the experience of transformation, which in turns releases the power of transformation to the hearer of the testimony. Bill's teaching reminded me of the importance of being truthful and honest in giving testimony.
I am comforted and encouraged because I am recognizing a reoccurring theme in my devotions with God. It is that of learning balance; knowledge/information is essential, but the knowledge means nothing to me if it is not paired with experience. My God is not a study. My God is a relational being. The truths that I read in the Bible are in fact for me, and for you. If we merely read them and don't allow them to be applied beyond information, then we are missing out!
Be blessed today,
Nick B.
January 28, 2011
January 20, 2011
You can't control Him
I am reading a book for school entitled, Shaped By God's Heart, written by Milfred Minatrea. It is turning out to be a book full of rich guidance for building a missional church rather than a mission-minded church; in other words, an action-oriented Christian community rather than a Christian community that says a lot but never acts. I am currently on a chapter about worship. It's really fresh to me because God has been doing a lot of deep stuff in my heart concerning my worship to Him; life-worship, and corporate/musical worship. Both are essential, and the latter's expression is birthed out of a life of worship. It's beautiful really. I love music, it's something that really moves me. For that reason, worship through the arts is such a gift from God for me.
In the chapter concerning worship the author states a simple truth, "He can be encountered, but not controlled." (page 66). I highly appreciate this truth. It challenged me to think about times of worship I am a part of, especially being in Bible College. I felt the Lord challenge me: "How are you trying to control times of worship?", "Are you fully focused on simply encountering me - even if it stretches beyond your comfort zone?"...and so forth. I have to say, in having many opportunities to participate in corporate worship, it truly saddens me when I see fellow Christians so unaware of the freedom that is available in worship, and I am guilty myself at time . We love to control, we love to stay in our zone of contentment. There is nothing more powerful than an encounter with God - we are in such a humbling position to enter the courts of God in praise and worship; there is such reality in a place of worship that is easily missed because we can be so spiritually inapt. I have experienced worship where it's like I was lifted into a whole other realm. And I have observed that such an encounter with God always occurs when there is an attitude of abandonment. I am not labeling what a God encounter should look like; they are always genuinely unique. But I am calling out the attitudes in which our hearts are often restricted when approaching worship together.
God has been stirring my heart concerning these things. Bill Johnson has often said, "You will always reflect the world you are most aware of." I love that quote. It challenges me every day to check what I am most aware of; sports? T.V? Food? How I look? The list can be endless.I desire to be most aware of the Kingdom of God. I find when I authentically become most aware of God's Kingdom in my daily life, both my life-worship, and corporate worship are greatly enhanced.
I just want to put this out there: As God's children, being co-heirs with Christ, we must accept the incredible grace we have in communing with Him - especially when we gather corporately. Grace means that we receive what we do not deserve. For a follower of Christ, a dimension of that Grace is being in God's presence, and personally I am so done with treating this with nonchalance. God LOVES LOVES LOVES to encounter us in corporate worship, often times more than we care to passionately pursue Him in it.
Some may read this and think, "A little extreme, Nick", "oh he's just on some high", or "oh he's just being real left field in his opinion". Well, think what you may. But I know for myself, this is about experiencing my Father, because the power of worship can be experienced in any high or low season of life. I am tired of not engaging with Him. I no longer want to miss the opportunity of overflowing love. Because, for myself I can identify that my life-worship and corporate worship affect each other; your life-worship will determine the authenticity and freedom in corporate worship, and your corporate worship has the potential to further transform your life-worship.
I've said a lot here; I just had to get it out of my mind. So I hope something in it challenges you, or encourages you on some level.
Be blessed,
Nick B.
In the chapter concerning worship the author states a simple truth, "He can be encountered, but not controlled." (page 66). I highly appreciate this truth. It challenged me to think about times of worship I am a part of, especially being in Bible College. I felt the Lord challenge me: "How are you trying to control times of worship?", "Are you fully focused on simply encountering me - even if it stretches beyond your comfort zone?"...and so forth. I have to say, in having many opportunities to participate in corporate worship, it truly saddens me when I see fellow Christians so unaware of the freedom that is available in worship, and I am guilty myself at time . We love to control, we love to stay in our zone of contentment. There is nothing more powerful than an encounter with God - we are in such a humbling position to enter the courts of God in praise and worship; there is such reality in a place of worship that is easily missed because we can be so spiritually inapt. I have experienced worship where it's like I was lifted into a whole other realm. And I have observed that such an encounter with God always occurs when there is an attitude of abandonment. I am not labeling what a God encounter should look like; they are always genuinely unique. But I am calling out the attitudes in which our hearts are often restricted when approaching worship together.
God has been stirring my heart concerning these things. Bill Johnson has often said, "You will always reflect the world you are most aware of." I love that quote. It challenges me every day to check what I am most aware of; sports? T.V? Food? How I look? The list can be endless.I desire to be most aware of the Kingdom of God. I find when I authentically become most aware of God's Kingdom in my daily life, both my life-worship, and corporate worship are greatly enhanced.
I just want to put this out there: As God's children, being co-heirs with Christ, we must accept the incredible grace we have in communing with Him - especially when we gather corporately. Grace means that we receive what we do not deserve. For a follower of Christ, a dimension of that Grace is being in God's presence, and personally I am so done with treating this with nonchalance. God LOVES LOVES LOVES to encounter us in corporate worship, often times more than we care to passionately pursue Him in it.
Some may read this and think, "A little extreme, Nick", "oh he's just on some high", or "oh he's just being real left field in his opinion". Well, think what you may. But I know for myself, this is about experiencing my Father, because the power of worship can be experienced in any high or low season of life. I am tired of not engaging with Him. I no longer want to miss the opportunity of overflowing love. Because, for myself I can identify that my life-worship and corporate worship affect each other; your life-worship will determine the authenticity and freedom in corporate worship, and your corporate worship has the potential to further transform your life-worship.
I've said a lot here; I just had to get it out of my mind. So I hope something in it challenges you, or encourages you on some level.
Be blessed,
Nick B.
January 14, 2011
A Beautiful Truth
I find myself immersed in a tranquil season regarding my relationship with God. I have been experiencing a refreshingly deep work in my life lately and I wish to share of a beautiful truth that He has been lavishing over me through it. I personally have a great appreciation for how the Word of God can stand for itself. Therefore, I simply wish to share a chapter from Psalms, preceded with a brief statement of it's context/significance to me in my current season:
Before I returned to Bible College from my Christmas break there was a conference at my home church in Prince George. At the final session I attended a wonderful lady prayed over me and read this scripture over me; its particularly significant because it's the first scripture I highlighted in my very first Bible, and one I had read almost every week growing up. Not fully sure why...I was just always drawn to it...(well I know why, but that's for me to know...). Anyways, this lady had no knowledge of this, and she marched right to me and declared this Psalm over me. The Spirit blew me away in that moment. Upon my return to college, in the very first chapel our President referenced to a main concept that is found within this Psalm. These "minor" connections to some often speak great volumes to me, and for this reason I have been continually moved by the beautiful truth that is found within Psalm 139 lately. I hope you take time to reflect upon the truth of its content. It reads,
Nick B.
Before I returned to Bible College from my Christmas break there was a conference at my home church in Prince George. At the final session I attended a wonderful lady prayed over me and read this scripture over me; its particularly significant because it's the first scripture I highlighted in my very first Bible, and one I had read almost every week growing up. Not fully sure why...I was just always drawn to it...(well I know why, but that's for me to know...). Anyways, this lady had no knowledge of this, and she marched right to me and declared this Psalm over me. The Spirit blew me away in that moment. Upon my return to college, in the very first chapel our President referenced to a main concept that is found within this Psalm. These "minor" connections to some often speak great volumes to me, and for this reason I have been continually moved by the beautiful truth that is found within Psalm 139 lately. I hope you take time to reflect upon the truth of its content. It reads,
"Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.Be blessed,
You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, 'surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Nick B.
January 5, 2011
Passive Ones Are Weakened
I am currently reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This masterpiece is in epistolary style; documenting a series of letters by a senior demon, Screwtape, addressed to his nephew, Wormwood, a junior "tempter". It's an insightful read that reveals Screwtape's advising of Wormwood's attempt to secure a British mans soul to hell. Whilst reading today, Screwtape stated in one of his letters:
"The man who truly and disinterestedly enjoys any one thing in the world, for its own sake, and without caring two-pence what other people say about it, is by that very fact fore-armed against some of our subtlest modes of attack. You should always try to make the patient abandon the people or food or books he really likes in favour of the 'best' people, the 'right' food, the 'important' books...It remains to consider how we can retrieve this disaster. the great thing is to prevent his doing anything. As long as he does not convert it into action, it does not matter how much he thinks about this new repentance. Let the little brute wallow in it. Let him, if he has any bent that way, write a book about it; that is often an excellent way of sterilising the seeds which the Enemy [God] plants in a human soul. Let him do anything but act. No amount of piety in his imagination and affections will harm us if we can keep it out of his will. As one of the humans has said, active habits are strengthened by repetition but passive ones are weakened. The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel," (Italics & bold added)
I had to stop and think about this when reading. "Let him do anything but act"; It's easy for me to identify deep desires and dreams that I have never acted upon. I believe that many people, Christ-followers or not, are blindly trapped in imaginative feelings/desires upon which they fail to act upon. And again, I see how I often have fallen victim to the subtle trap. We are a rather passive generation; we submit ourselves to the 'best', 'right' and 'important' things that the world thrusts before us, remaining inactive in what we truly desire and were made for. That is, discovering our true being through Christ's redemptive gift. I don't know about you, but I know for myself that I am tired of a passive life. "The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel". I am tired of simply feeling. I think it's time to act in response to the feelings I have. Our feelings, particularly the deep desires of our souls, that are planted by God, are meant to be manifested through action. Feeling, absent from acting, will result in an individual who is confused and lost - eventually becoming unable to even recognize those "feelings" deep within. It's crippling and dangerous.
Jesus was active, he engaged in what he knew his Father loved. I challenge you as I challenge myself to engage in what our Father loves - activate yourself in His purposes; do His good works. I believe that when an individual does this, their feelings are in fact heightened, and God can take them to places they never knew possible. Don't passively go through life, there is nothing beneficial in that.
Cheers,
Nick B.
"The man who truly and disinterestedly enjoys any one thing in the world, for its own sake, and without caring two-pence what other people say about it, is by that very fact fore-armed against some of our subtlest modes of attack. You should always try to make the patient abandon the people or food or books he really likes in favour of the 'best' people, the 'right' food, the 'important' books...It remains to consider how we can retrieve this disaster. the great thing is to prevent his doing anything. As long as he does not convert it into action, it does not matter how much he thinks about this new repentance. Let the little brute wallow in it. Let him, if he has any bent that way, write a book about it; that is often an excellent way of sterilising the seeds which the Enemy [God] plants in a human soul. Let him do anything but act. No amount of piety in his imagination and affections will harm us if we can keep it out of his will. As one of the humans has said, active habits are strengthened by repetition but passive ones are weakened. The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel," (Italics & bold added)
I had to stop and think about this when reading. "Let him do anything but act"; It's easy for me to identify deep desires and dreams that I have never acted upon. I believe that many people, Christ-followers or not, are blindly trapped in imaginative feelings/desires upon which they fail to act upon. And again, I see how I often have fallen victim to the subtle trap. We are a rather passive generation; we submit ourselves to the 'best', 'right' and 'important' things that the world thrusts before us, remaining inactive in what we truly desire and were made for. That is, discovering our true being through Christ's redemptive gift. I don't know about you, but I know for myself that I am tired of a passive life. "The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel". I am tired of simply feeling. I think it's time to act in response to the feelings I have. Our feelings, particularly the deep desires of our souls, that are planted by God, are meant to be manifested through action. Feeling, absent from acting, will result in an individual who is confused and lost - eventually becoming unable to even recognize those "feelings" deep within. It's crippling and dangerous.
Jesus was active, he engaged in what he knew his Father loved. I challenge you as I challenge myself to engage in what our Father loves - activate yourself in His purposes; do His good works. I believe that when an individual does this, their feelings are in fact heightened, and God can take them to places they never knew possible. Don't passively go through life, there is nothing beneficial in that.
Cheers,
Nick B.
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