Off the Beaten Path.

I love to hike. I love being outside in God's creation.

But often times, I get bored with hiking trails. So I step off the path. I wander through the woods, through thick foliage and over rocks. It's so much more exciting. Sure, it's a little risky. I've tripped on roots, been scratched by briars, been covered in those little sticker seeds, and on occassion, gotten a little lost.

Any time you get off the beaten path, it's risky. But it's so much more thrilling.

Why don't I apply that same principle to my faith walk?

The beaten path is easy. It's cleared. It's smooth. But the coolest discoveries and the best finds are typically found off the path, where there's less traffic and more risks.

In our world, most people keep to the beaten path. It's comfortable. It's easy. It's low-exertion. But Christ is calling us to step away from the mundane and the ordinary into a life of following Him, rather than the crowd.

Is it easy? Absolutely not. You'll fall down. You'll scrape your knees. You'll get a little messy. But the rewards that await you are not only wonderful, they're eternal.

“The path of God-exalting joy will cost you your life. Jesus said, 'Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.' In other words, it is better to lose your life than to waste it. If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full. The bible is not a book about how to avoid a wounded life, but how to avoid a wasted life.” - John Piper

Treasuring our comfort and our plans and our life above Christ is a tragedy.

God has given us one life to live, and He's also given us a calling: to spread the word about His love. Don't waste your life on elevating yourself. Instead, spend it shining a spotlight on our glorious God, the Giver of life itself.

Make your life count for something great! Long for your life to have eternal significance. Don't coast through life without any desires or passions. Strap on your boots and get off the beaten path. Trust me. It's worth it.

365.

Turkey.

Pumpkin pie.

Can-shaped cranberry sauce.

Thanksgiving. The one day of the year where we give thanks.

Right?

Wrong.

Watch Full House or Family Matters or The Cosby Show or any other 90's sitcom and you'll see a family gathered around a table loaded with a mouth-watering feast. But before the casseroles start being passed and the turkey is carved, they pause and say what they are thankful for. Then the sappy music plays, they hug, and the ending credits roll.

Aaaaaaaaannndd SCENE.

Here's the problem with that. As a general rule, we express our thankfulness openly about one day a year, on the day that it is expected to give thanks. But what about the other 364 days?

We are so very blessed.

God deserves our praises and gratefulness 24/7.

It's easy to be thankful for the things that fit nice and neatly into your plan. But it's harder to be grateful for the circumstances that God has orchestrated that didn't work out according to your plan, but fit into HIS will and purpose.

Can you imagine if God indulged our every desire?

We would be running around like kids hopped up on sugar and an all-night cartoon marathon. It would be chaos.

God's goal for your life is for you to both accept and understand salvation.

The circumstances He arranges in your life encourage your journey towards that.

God doesn't care for your earthly satisfaction; He cares for your heavenly salvation.

He is not wrapped up in your immidiate indulgences, but He's doing all He can to push you towards eternal joy and peace.

And that is something worth giving thanks for. 365 days a year.

Have a great holiday, BCSMers!

Through God's Eyes

We live in a world that tells us exactly how we should look.

What we should wear.

Who we should be.

We are bombarded with images of athletes and supermodels and celebrities and TV personalities.

Our world is full of negativity and harsh criticisms.

When we're constantly told how to look, dress, act, sit, stand, and walk, our self esteem can take a big hit.

Society pushes us in one direction; God is pulling us in another.

Our world often leads us to feel worthless and inadequate and vulnerable.

But take hope in this: God does not see you that way. Not even close.

"I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels." - Isaiah 61:10

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." - 1 Peter 2:9

When your self-esteem is faltering, remember just how much you're worth. You have been bought with a price - not with silver that tarnishes or gold that looses it's gleam but with the precious blood of Christ, the pure and perfect lamb. He has dressed you up in His righteousness and love.

You may feel worthless, but God begs to differ. You may feel unloveable, but God loves you so much that He gave up His son. For you.

Meditate on that. Soak that in.

Allow God's love to change the way you see yourself. Start looking in the mirror through God's eyes.

Have a good weekend BCSMers!

He is Near.

I used to think of chruch as God's home-away-from-home.

Like that's where He hangs out and you can go there and visit Him on Sunday alongside other worshippers and get a big dose of His goodness and mercy and love.

But although God is present at every worship service, every prayer circle, every church meeting, He is not tied down there.

God is not tethered to a building.

God is deeply involved in the thick of things of your life.

He is not residing in a galaxy far, far away.

He is not posted up on a throne in a distant, secluded castle.

He is near.

He is in your mess. He is in your victory. He is in your heartbreak. He is in your joy.

He is in your traffic jams. In your long lines. In your pop quizzes. In your coffee break with friends. In your unexpected surprises. In your much-needed hug.

He is as near to us on Friday as He is on Sunday.

He is as near to us in the classroom as He is in the Worship Center.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame consume you. For I am the Lord your God." - Isaiah 43:2–3

Today, recognize that wherever you are, there God is also. He goes before you and clears a path. Draw closer to the God who is actively superintending every circumstance in your life, and delighting in bringing you joy and hope.

Have a good weekend, BCSMers.

Whispers in Silence

I don't know about you, but I wish God had a megaphone.

Or an air horn.

Or a flare gun.

Or one of those big cone things that cheerleaders yell into the stadium with.

The last thing I want to hear when I'm reaching out to God for answers is silence. Silence is deafening. Silence leads us to doubt. Silence leads us to question the One who is calling the shots. But what we have to understand is that our humanity limits our reasoning.

I remember when I was a kid, my older brother Brandon got the training wheels taken off of his bike. I remember thinking that that defining moment of maturity and growth was just the coolest thing ever. So naturally, being the admiring, and albeit slightly jealous little sister that I was, I wanted my training wheels off too. In my four year old mind, nothing would bring me more joy or excitement or bliss than a two-wheel joy ride. My parents told me that I wasn't ready, that I wasn't old enough yet, and that removing my training wheels too early would lead to more knee scrapes than thrills. Not to anyone's surprise, I was stubborn and upset. I pouted and I gave a cold-shoulder. Even though my Dad insisted that he knew best, I was sure that I had it all figured out.

Disappointment leads us to question the One in charge. When I bring my plans to Christ, a part of me expects an immediate, loud, booming response. I would like God to type up a nice little memo, outlining exactly what He has in store for me, and deliver it approximately 1-2 business days after my submitted request. Unfortunately, God doesn't work like that. He's more of a deal-in-faith kind of guy. He challenges us to submit and to wait and when things become uncertain, to cling to our desperate need for Him.

I guess things haven't changed all that much since I was a kid. I often think that my plans would bring me joy and happiness and righteousness and eternal bliss. I still think like that four year old redhead: that I've got it figured out. But just like my Dad was looking after his overly ambitious and naive daughter, my heavenly Father continually reminds me, "Have patience, dear. I know what's best for you."

Doubt is born when our expectations meet God's silence. We've all experienced what seems like an unresponsive God. But perhaps it isn't that God is silent. Perhaps, we've been listening for the wrong answer or expecting Christ to appear on different terms. We are often wrapped up in our earthly problems, while Jesus is busy behind-the-scenes resolving our heavenly ones.

Remember that the next time you hear the silence of God. When you present your desires and hopes and dreams and future plans to Him, and you don't hear a response, don't think God isn't listening. He is. And He is answering requests you are not even making. Because even though we may be absorbed with our earthly issues, God cares so much about us that He is focusing on our eternity and working on a plan to grow and prosper us, to bring us a hope and a future in Him. So listen closer: our loving God is whispering in the silences and rejoicing in planning out our futures.

It's Friday...

... show some love today.

You want to know how to be more loving? Accept your position as a dearly loved child of God. Want to learn how to forgive? Consider all the forgiveness and cleansing you've received. Are you struggling with putting others first? Think of the way Christ put you first, above Himself.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us." - Ephesians 5:1-2

How do we learn to be imitators of God? We get to know Him better.

There's an amazing opportunity for that tonight (Friday, November 4th) from 7pm to 1am. We will be hosting the Secret Church simulcast in the Student Center. Come out for an intensive bible study and time of prayer for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the globe who are persecuted for the faith we share. Sure it's a big time commitment. But He's worth it.

Don't Miss It.

The trip from Egypt to the promised land can be made in eleven days:

"It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea." - Deut. 1:2

But it took the Israelites 40ish years.

40 YEARS.

The time it took for toddlers to turn into middle aged men.

Still wondering around in the wilderness.

God had just freed the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, providing an escape route through the parted Red Sea. They had this crazy, supernatural cloud guiding them around during the day and this pillar of fire that offered them direction and warmth at night. God brought water out of a rock and provided manna from Heaven. He had this prime piece of real estate set aside for them - a better life with joy and contentment and satisfaction and growth in God. The Isrealites saw first hand what God was capable of; He was throwing out His best work to provide for them and what did they do?

They complained. They grumbled. They moaned. They chickened out.

The Israelites didn't do what they should have done. They didn't trust and they didn't obey. So God decided they needed some time to rethink a few things.

Maybe God is wanting to teach you a few things too. Pay attention. You don't want to spend 40 years missing the point.