Being "Proper" Goes Deeper Than Good Etiquette

At small group tonight this question was asked: "Are you a Pharisee or a tax collector?"

Looking at Luke 18:9-14...this is what I was shown.

Pharisee
-Self-Righteous
-Compares self to the world
-Proud
-Not repetent (doesn't see self as a sinner)

Tax Collector
-Reliant
-Repenter
-Unworthy
-Defeated

With that comparison...Which one are you?

As humans, it's in our nature to compare ourselves to others. The reasoning behind the comparison can range widely - searching for self-exaltation, increasing self-esteem, being "better", wanting attention. The list can go on, but these are reasons I've seen in my own life.
I often look at people who are not living a life pleasing to God (non-believers) and compare myself to them. Again, it's often because I am trying to enhance my self-esteem to make me feel "worthy." Then realizing, it's quite easy for us to compare ourselves to the worst...but what is that doing for us? Notta thing. Well, nothing good at least. The only thing we get from that is pride and self idolization.

So what Jesus is pretty much saying...

Don't exalt yourself. Why?

Because you should be there. You should be swimming in the lake of sin. We all should.
But because the grace of God is so amazing and powerful, we are blessed enough to have been given that undeserving gift of Freedom.

So what's the proper attitude we should have toward ourselves?
-know, acknowledge and understand your unworthiness.
-realize just how undeserving you are.
-live and constantly remind self of the gospel. Keep it real.

This has really hit home for me, which is why I felt God urging me to share it.
Conviction is a tough thing for me to take, but when He makes it known - He makes it ALL known. And that is what makes my love for Him that much more real.
The more I see how incapable I am, the more I see how big of a sacrifice He made for me.

I'll end with this...Don't look at the world through human eyes, look at it through God's.

Captivated by Grace

I have recently kept myself from setting goals for myself simply because I focus so much on accomplishing them MY way and leave no room for God to work.

But I'm going to make an exception...mostly because this goal is aimed at realizing and loving God that much more. I have been challenged by my amazing discipler, Kristin McGregor, to focus this week on ways God has "freely given me his glorious grace." - Eph. 1:6

It has been on my heart the past few weeks to start prioritizing my life; figuring out what is important and what can go. I figured doing this will not only help me with time management (which is a college students biggest stress - mine at least) but it will also cut out things in my life and make room for more time to spend with God, love and witness to others, and serve at Aletheia and CRU wherever God calls me to.Being able to see how much grace I receive on a daily basis will make it that much easier to worship and glorify my amazing Father. When we are caught up in our daily schedules, it's so easy to forget how blessed and LUCKY we are. And because we fail to see that, we are caught worrying about things that are unnecessary anxieties. God wants us to worship him continually throughout the day...that way, we have less time to worry, fear and doubt.

Jesus teaches us in Matthew about worrying - the point he makes is...to not do it.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
-Matthew 6: 25-27,33-34

Captivate us, Lord Jesus
Set our eyes on You
Devastate us with Your presence
Falling down
And rushing river, draw us nearer
Holy fountain consume us with You

Captivate us Lord Jesus, with You -Watermark (Captivate Us)

Always Being Reassured

My daily reminder that everything is in His hands. There is no need to plan my life, He's done that for me already :) Knowing that allows me to worry less and joyfully praise and thank my amazing God more.

"Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?" - Ecclesiastes 7:13

"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that will I do." - Isaiah 46:9-11

He wants us to be anxious for nothing. {Philippians 4:6}

Sheep Say "Baa"

I belong to Him simply because He deliberately chose to create me as the object of His own affection.

He is our Shepherd. We are His sheep.

I've been reading through a book that dissects Psalm 23, and I've realized how ironic it is that we are similar to sheep in so many ways. God has a way with irony. But humans, just like sheep, are timid, fearful, stubborn, stupid, and are "followers." When I say followers, I don't necessarily mean it in a good way. We tend to follow the crowd...our mob instincts. There is one thing that sheep need, and that's a Leader. A sheep doesn't exist without a Shepherd, just like we don't exist without a God.

We need God, and without Him we are so lost.

We have to be able to admit that we're in need - in need of a Rescuer, of a Protector, and of a Leader. Isaiah couldn't have said it any better by saying, "we all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way."

The beautiful part of this whole thing though, is the fact that no matter how many times we may "stray," God will always be waiting to call us back. Knowing that and having that assurance in my heart is what makes life worth living. God is so patient, and we are so not.

My favorite verse from Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." -v.4

Reading this and continually gaining knowledge about how important God is and how unimportant I am makes me think more like Him. Thinking like Him will ultimately allow us to act and love like Him.