Seeking.

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men?" -Galatians 1:10

This is the question that Paul asked in A.D. 55. It was echoed this morning by Paul Fiske at Aletheia.

Knowing that my intentions are not always focused on glorifying God makes me that much more thankful for the bountiful and unending grace I have been given. Trying to please this world means that I am trying to conform to this world. God calls us to be different, to be "aliens." This is something I'm still learning, and I honestly don't know if I'll ever fully get. But because God knows that I struggle/will continue to struggle with it, He created a way for us to be loved regardless.

He laid in the ground, and we got His crown.

He knew we couldn't do it on our own. There is nothing in us that can reconcile us for what we've done and continue to do. 

"I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." -Galatians 1:12

No man can open our eyes to the truth about Jesus. Men can give us facts. But only Jesus can give us faith.

Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven. It's what we're called to do. No where does it say, Seek the approval of your fellow man.

So continuing with the topic of an amazing morning...Aletheia's new cd released this morning is incredible! I've had the cd for about 5 hours now and I have already listened to the entire thing...3 times. A little ridiculous you may think, but if you heard the lyrics, you will know why. Every song introduces more and more truth about Jesus and His character, and I just can't seem to get enough. 

Seeking what God wants requires us to die to ourselves and live for Him, despite the suffering that may cause us. He suffered for us when He didn't have to, we should suffer for Him because we want to.

"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him." -Philippians 1:29

Loss or Gain?

God put a thought in my head today. He asked me, "Casey, if I were to take away everything that was precious to you, would you still have an identity?"

All through high school, my identity was determined by my talent -- grades, SPORTS, socializing. Sports was emphasized for a reason. That's the area of my life that Satan constantly fed my heart with pride. I was consumed with myself and how good I was. I wasn't one of those people who flamboyantly flaunted it, but I carried myself in a way that everyone knew that I knew it...if that makes any sense. I was fed those lies for the majority of high school. It wasn't until God took sports (softball specifically) away from me that I realized that I had no idea who I was without it. That was a struggle in my past and I thank God He has shown me the good in it all.

So sports being my idol haven't been a struggle since, and I honestly think God has shown me enough truth and changed my heart in a way that won't allow it to happen again. But I did ask myself today...is there a "softball" in my life now that, if taken away, I would be right back to where I was my senior year of high school, completely oblivious to who I was?

It may not be something as obvious as idolizing a sport. But maybe pride in ministry, leading, friendships, grades, control? Christians are faced with pride on a daily basis. In fact, I believe that Satan uses pride more than anything else to attack a Christian. So though it may not be as obvious as a physical idol, it could still be present. That is something I have to check myself every day of, and by checking, I all too often find me being guilty in multiple areas.

 Only God can make us aware of our sin, and only He can take them away from us.

Am I investing myself into something that, if taken away, will knock me flat on my face?

You're probably thinking, this is a random post...especially since you're not struggling with it anymore. And it's true. This is a pretty random post. But if you get the time, I encourage you to read the story of Rachel and Leah in Genesis. Reading that today during my discipleship is what spurred this question.

Leah was finding her identity in childbearing, that's how she saw she was pleasing her husband, Jacob. But then God took that away from her and made her barren. There's a lot more to the story as to why she reacted to the way she did, and that's a whole other days' post. BUT, my point is...Will you still have an identity if the most precious thing in the world to you was taken away?

It may be family or a best friend. A boyfriend/girlfriend, an injury that hinders you from every playing sports again. Whatever it may be, I challenge you to pray for God to prepare your heart in a way that is strong enough in Him to deal with any loss that He may allow.

He Always Prevails

God is continually showing me His greatness...and recently, it hasn't even been in my own life. The prayer request I mentioned a few posts ago, was so answered. Maybe not in the way that I was hoping for, but it was clear that God's power worked right through that situation and resulted in that person finding peace that they weren't expecting (much less looking for). One of my dearest friends, Laurel, got a phone call about 20 minutes ago telling her to start preparing her heart now, because she's spending her summer in California spreading God's Word. The Lord is amazing, is He not? There are others that can be named, but for the sake of boring you and for my precious hours of sleep...I'll wrap it up. 

God's grace is limitless. His power is spontaneous. His love is infinite. 

God will never cease to amaze me.

I find that the more I pray, the more obvious God becomes. Not only in my life, but ever so clear in the lives of those I pray for. Ah. It seriously blows my mind how effective prayer can be.

You should try it. It's worth it.

The "S's" That Make Up My Sunday

The start to my Sunday morning began with being sick. It's not the best thing to wake up to. I don't know whether to like this or not, but I wasn't the only one who was sick. My partner in crime, Logan Cox, is in the same boat.


So here we are, both sitting in our common room, wrapped up in sweatpants and blankets, helpless, sore, and puny. Good thing we have some amazing roommates who know just how to comfort us :) Drinkable chicken noodle soup, saltines and some good ol' Tylenol. These girls are money. I'm pretty sure I'll keep them around.

Despite my body being useless to me today, my brain unfortunately is still capable of retaining information. So studying has to still take place at some point today.

But to end the day, I will be watching the Steelers pull out a victory and be on their way to the Superbowl. 6:30pm on CBS...you should tune in :)

What a Sunday.

Coffee Date Turned into a Praise Sesh

AUSTRALIA

God is good. He is allowing me to spend 6 weeks of my summer in Melbourne, Australia and spread His name around the college campuses there. Can I just tell you how excited I am? Very. Seriously. Incredibly. Ridiculously. Overly. Hysterically.

How I found out? I was on a coffee date with the beautiful Olivia and I missed a phone call...(I would miss the phone call I've been waiting on for like 2 months) But then, I happen to look down and see an email on my phone, titled "Very Important Summer Project Information". I open it and read..."Congratulations on your acceptance to the Australia: Melbourne Summer Project!" Epic moment. I freaked out just a little.

And you know what made it 10000x better? The crazy awesome support I got today from all of my wonderful friends. Olivia Camp, thanks for sharing the experience of finding out with me, for loading up my Facebook with random information about Australia, and being more excited than I was. Phil Ernst, thanks for be the first person to call me (and sorry for yelling into the phone). Nicole Gilbert, Molly Bell and Kylie Vanlandingham, thanks for being in TDU so there was someone I could tell. Amy Shadron, thanks for being in the suite so there was someone I could yell, hug and jump up and down with. Kristin McGregor, thanks for including me in your Facebook status. Emma Dollings, thanks for celebrating with me over the phone and prophesizing about it by giving me an Australian calendar for Christmas. Logan Cox, thanks for hugging the life out of me when I whispered it in your ear. There are so many more people who have shown me support and love today/tonight, and I'm so thankful that God has surrounded me with amazing people like this. You guys are one of a kind.

So...Australia. Yeah, I'm going (unless the Lord has other plans before then). And I'm stoked. Actually no, I'm blessed. And there's only one person to thank for that...you're the man God. 

Ps. If you would like to learn more about Australia, see my Facebook wall. Olivia Camp did an amazing job at supplying me with infinite amounts of facts and videos. :)

Prayer Request

I don't what it is about posting. I'm pretty addicted. But I figure I should do what I can now because when I actually have stuff to do for school the blogging won't be as frequent.

I have a prayer request. One that I've been praying about for quite a while. I figure asking people to pray with me wouldn't hurt. For the sake of the person, I'm not going to go into detail of how I know them or go into great detail.

This person needs Jesus, desperately. They've heard the gospel with their mind, but not with their heart. They are trapped in a web of just trying to get by each day and trying to find satisfactions with what they can get a hold of (a relationship, friends, drinking, etc.) Recently this person found out some devastating news; news that really shook this person hard. Hard enough to say that this person is at one of their lowest points. This person means the absolute world to me and knowing they are going through this struggle breaks my heart.

Thanks for praying.

Meekness Produces Power

Humility is not denying the power you have but admitting that the power comes through you and not from you.

It's the first and most important thing a Christian must acknowledge and practice when requesting attention from God.

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less." -C.S. Lewis

The more vulnerable you are with your Savior, the more powerful His work in you will be.
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." -James 5:16

Things Will Fall Into Place As Long As You Fall On Your Knees

Being overly organized is something I do quite well. My planner is color-coordinated, my pens, pencils and highlighters are separated on my desk, and I always have to be overly prepared. I am constantly writing to-do lists and planning my days out by the hour. Most people will say that this obsessiveness is a good thing to have, but there are faults to this...and God showed me that this morning.

Being the new prayer leader, I now have a few more responsibilities on my plate. Responsibilities I cannot be more thankful for, but they are responsibilities. And tying that in with my weird organizational skills...I start planning, asap. I start thinking of what's going to happen at Friday Night Prayer - reading and searching for inspiration - and ideas for other outreach opportunities with prayer. I read, I write, I plan. During the "reading" portion of that equation this morning, God showed me the biggest part of the equation that was missing; the part that is the catalyst in making anything at all happen from reading, writing and planning. Praying. Ironic? I'm leading the prayer team and what I've neglected is praying. This just goes to show how absolutely inadequate I am. I am not worthy of doing this, but yet He's going to use me anyway.

"Things can happen when we don’t plan at all but just pray. God expects us to be orderly. He expects us to manage our time, to discipline ourselves, to prepare well-planned programs, but if we could learn to pray first and plan afterward how different would be our homes, our churches, our Christian women’s clubs, our bible studies, whatever we are doing for Christ. God wants us to make ourselves available to Him, and to say before we start to plan, “Lord, tell me what You want me to do, where You want me to go, how You want me to do it.” Then our omnipotent God, with all the abundance of heaven at His disposal, will pour out His power on us. Instead of following our tiny, tiny plans, God wants to open heaven and flood us. It’s exciting."
-What Happens When Women Pray


Planning isn't a bad thing (thank goodness) but God saw I was putting all my hope in the plans and ideas I had to make the prayer meetings reach their fullest potential. What I want more than anything is for the prayer events this semester to reach new depths in people's hearts. I don't want them to attend out of obligation or because it's just something else to do/be involved in. I want desperately for them to experience the humility and power of being on their knees, submitting to God. And that doesn't come from planning and preparing and making sure everything's perfect. It's from getting on MY knees and giving up these plans to God and allow Him to be the center.

Planning can be powerful, but prayer is necessary.

"The Birds and the Bees" God's Way

Relationships.

They're a tricky business, but if done correctly (and by correctly I mean biblically) they can really amount to an amazing profit. Relationships in general are a vital part of a Christian's life, but God has put purity on my heart. Purity in the context of relationships.

I have come to realize, from past experience, of how important purity is not only to yourself but to God as well. Purity is something God sees as necessary, and anything less would be disobeying Him.

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God." -1 Thes. 4:3-5

(For the remainder of this blog, I'm going to use "company of another" in place of the seemingly obvious other word. You'll catch on, if not...well then there are bigger problems.)

God wants us to enjoy the "company of another", inside of marriage. He made it good for a reason. But like all gifts from God, it can be misused. The problem isn't the "company of another", the problem is US. We're sinners who can abuse the proper place of good things God created.
The greater the gift from God, the more power it has for both good and bad.
Sexual purity is not an option of an obedient Christian, it's a requirement. If you are not living in sexual purity, God will not hear your other prayers until you offer the prayer of confession and repentance and commit your life to Him through holiness.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." -1 John 1:9

The more involved you are in your relationship with God, the more desire Satan has in destroying it. Satan wants to tear you down and use your life as a bad example to other Christians.

But the #1 fact that cannot be forgotten is this: My body belongs to God, not me.
"You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." -1 Cor. 6:20

God has every right to tell me what to with my mind and body.

One thing people often don't realize is that sexual impurity stems from the mind. We become what we choose to feed our minds on. I found this quote and found it rather necessary to include:
"Sow a thought, reap an action;
Sow an action, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny."

I know this topic is a bit much for what I usually write about, and as I am writing this I'm asking myself whether I'm actually going to click the 'Publish' button. I guess if you're reading it then I did...
My point is not to judge. I've been there and I have to live with my consequences. But because God is the absolutely amazing and gracious God that He is, I am able to live knowing that I am completely forgiven. This post is meant to bring to light how important purity is to God and how important it should be to us as well.

It's a temple for Him, so use it to honor Him.

There's No I in Holy

It's easy to forget why I'm at college. Classes do a great job at hindering that. I have to remind myself daily that I am not here for me (though most of the time I think that's the case). I'm here to be a light on this desperate, dark campus of JMU. Keeping that true in my life is very, very challenging. I want so much to glorify God in all I do, but it's so easy for Satan to sneak the "selfish" card in the deck and before I can consciously realize it...I'm worrying about ME again. My classes, my schedule, my lack of time, my worries...the list goes on, but I think you get the point.

My quiet time today is what encouraged this post. I read the first 2 chapters of 1 Peter and what God revealed to me was:

There is a living Hope for living Holy.

These chapters talk about the trials a Christian will face because of their belief and how amazingly powerful the results are when that Christian reacts in a holy and submissive way. The actions of a Christian are so much more effective than mere words.

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." -1 Peter 1:11-12

Love: the Corinthian Way, not the Casey Way

The more I try to love like God, the more I see how difficult it really is. Loving on people who don't know Jesus is what God wants from us most, but it's also a lot harder. Family is what I've found the most difficult. You feel so comfortable around them, so it's a lot easier to get mad at them. You know they love you, so it doesn't really matter what you do or say because you know they'll always take you back. They're family, that's what they do. That was mindset at least. But that's not the case at all. We should love on our family more than anything, ESPECIALLY if they don't know Jesus. Not loving them shows a false representation of Jesus and what He's all about, Love. Conviction about this has really hit me hard. I want more than anything to see them in Heaven...so I need to do my part to make sure they get there.

You love like no one else I know
In love with me even though
I don't love you like I should
Oh God your so good

Your Spirit is alive in me
Its showing me how to be
Its showing me how to love
Taking my breath away
Gave it a home

You speak to me in falling leaves
Like wind that blows through the trees
And I can feel the start
Of you breaking my heart

Your love is shaking me
My heart is breaking free....

What I need to realize most: The more rejected I am, the more love I should dispel. Family is one of Satan's most vital (and effective) tools at bringing a Christian down.

This is a lot easier to type than it is to do. I'm currently in a situation like I am describing. Writing out my feelings may not be the best way, but it does help...and so does praying. (and running) which is what I'm about to do.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not rejoice in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." -1 Corinthians 13:4-7

New Year. New Life. New Love

I'd have to say that 2010 was quite a year for me. Describing it in a few words is virtually impossible. Looking back to this time last year and comparing myself to that person makes me say, "Woah God. Good work"

To help you try to understand how I see it, here's a brief description of me a year ago:
I was certain I was going to graduate, go to grad school and become an OT. I was relying on people/a person for my satisfaction (NOT GOD). My dependence was in a relationship that wasn't glorifying God. I was lacking best friends. My focus on grades was causing stress. I threw money around like I had an infinite amount.
Summary: My vision was blurry.

Who I am/think I am now:
Being an OT is not how I see me spending my life. I'm single and depending on God for my satisfaction. I have so many "best" friends. School no longer stresses me out. I am VERY conscious on how I spend my money (primarily b/c of the lack thereof). I sponsor a beautiful 5 year old girl in Uganda. I believe God is calling me into ministry/missions full time.
Summary: God has given me a pretty sweet pair of glasses.

Radiate couldn't have been a more perfect way to end the year. Some experiences from this past week have given me a new outlook/reason for life. I yearn to seek more, to give more, to sacrifice more, to love more, and to praise more. I went to the conference with some worries (which at the time I thought were a pretty big deal) and were stressing me out. I asked God to fix this anyway He could through this conference. And like always...He followed through.

John/Johnny/"Talisman"/homeless guy --> he hit me the hardest.
The few possessions he had, the absence of a home, of family or money made my selfishness and greediness become quite evident. Standing on the streets of Baltimore in my designer clothes, money in my wallet, a 5 star hotel waiting my return, a family back home that loves me unconditionally and a college education...I felt like I was about as big as an ant. An ant who had just been squished under a foot of reality. My problems and worries that I brought with me to Radiate in hopes that God would mend were, at that moment, completely erased. I said to myself, with tears welling up in my eyes while I listened to John talk..."If he can stand here with nothing and have so much joy and a continual smile on his face, then these petty worries of mine are something God can clearly handle."

2010 was quite a roller coaster for me. A ride full of learning, growing, submission, waiting, praying, and TRUSTING.

New Years Resolution: Living out God's Will for my life.