God is Love

I was reading 1 John 4 this week at Crow and I was amazed that I had never caught the simple phrase "God is love". So simple but so infinite. This made me think of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. The passage on love. So I read it but I switched the word love to God and I found it so powerful. I am in awe. God is such a wonderful and magnificent God.

God is patient, God is kind.

He does not envy, he does not boast, he is not proud.

He is not rude, he is not self-seeking, he is not easily angered, he keeps no record of wrongs.

He does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. 

He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

God never fails.

"God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in him". 1 John 4:16

This the Power of the Cross

This is a new song that I learned at Ross Haven Bible Camp this summer. I find that this song is such a reminder of what Jesus did for us on that cross. Its so so easy to forget the immense love and sacrifice that poured out.

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Thankfulness

Thankfulness. A word which is means the "act of giving thanks". In the dictionary, it says after this statement, "especially to God". So people know that it is very important to give thanks to God. Then why don't we give thanks to him on a regular basis?
As Christians, we should be shouting out his name to lost. This is how we give thanks to him. Not only by giving him thanks through praise and worship, but through action. We should being giving to to him in return. 
1 Chronicles 16:8
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

My Own Personal God

God is our own personal God. We experience him differently than other people do. I find it frustrating when I have a God moment or see so much of God and cannot explain to people good enough for them to understand. Its like our own love language with God. God is just so awesome, so powerful. He is so gracious and shows me how great of a God he is.
I have always been told the attributes of God, but for the first time in my life, I have been experiencing him as my very own. Ahh, man I can't even explain how I am thinking and feeling right now. This year at Carmel, I have had my eyes opened. Before it was always a "Why oh God". I never saw God. But now, I am seeing glimpses of him.
I see my God through people mostly. I am a people observer. I watch people in how there interact. So when I observe someone over a long period of time, I just am amazed in the growth of the person. When I go to the Mustard Seed, there are regulars that come twice a month. So I see them pretty regularly. So its nice because I feel like I have a connection and a relationship with them. I am there to help the people, but I feel as if they are helping me. So in a sense its a win win. I just cannot believe I had been blind for 17 years. God is here in this city working in the lives of the community. I amazes that I wasn't able to see it before. How great is our God.

Why Oh God?

I feel so alone in this despicable world
I feel as if you have left me to live this awful life alone
I constantly seek you and do not find
Am I doing something wrong?
Have I done evil in your sight, that you have decided that I deserve to live this awful life along?
Why Oh God do I feel this way?
I know you have not left me alone
But I feel as if you are hiding
You said seek and you will find
I read your word day after day, I seek after you, but I do not find
I pray to you, whom I have faith
But still I do not see you
Am I blind oh God? Have you really been in my central vision this whole time?
Am I too blind to see your glory?
Why Oh God do I feel as if I am hyperopic?
I see you far away working in the lives of my peers
But I do not see you here with me
Why Oh God?

“Wake up, you sleepy head!”
You then smack me on the head and my eyes are opened
I feel some relief knowing that you have not left me
You have been here with me in my central vision this whole time
You stood by my side even when I felt you were distant
You are my magnifying glass
You make objects clearer the closer look into the magnifying glass
The farther away I am from you, the more distant you look and feel
But you have revealed to me clarity that I may see you magnificence
Why Oh God are you so good to me?

That's My King Dr. S.M. Lockridge - [OFFICIAL]

I Love You!

I am in awe of your greatness of God. I cannot believe how marvelous you are. I am in love. Even though there is so much desperation and poverty in the downtown Vancouver, I see you at work. I am in awe at your work at living waters. I don’t know how the lady pays her bills but she does and she does because you want her there and have her there for a purpose. She lives right on East Hastings Street. She is there to tell of your glory to the people of downtown Vancouver. I am in awe. I see all the ministries that are there working for you. The people of East Hastings are going through so much hurt and pain, but still there hope, growth, and love throughout these people. There are getting to know you. They have a passion for you. You are working in the lives of these people. I love you. You are an awesome God. I don’t understand you mercy and your grace. I don’t understand how you can love us and be gracious to us time and time again, every time we mess up. You are such a wonderful God. I am proud to be called your servant. I want to grow in my relationship with you and learn you word. You have really blessed me with such a life like this. I love you oh Lord. You are my strength. "And I want to live; I want to love you more; I want to be used Father in all of the world; May your word be heard; May it stay on my lips; To live what I speak Until your kingdom come"Hillsong, Shine for You

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9 (NKJV)