Fighting ♥

Just returned this past Saturday from an AwSoMe trip with the FaNtAsTiC youth from my church to MFuge [Mission Fuge] at North Greenville University [home to the world's worst cafeteria food ever]. And, again this year, it was a humbling experience and one that I wouldn't have missed for the world.  I am so thankful that even in my seemingly old age I can still feel young enough to be a part of this group of students.

Of course, on of my fave bands Finding Favour was with us again [LOVE THEM!  I mean, how can you not love a band that can play Lynryd Skynrd's Sweet Home Alabama in praise to the Lord as Sweet Home Up in Heaven?!]  The minister o'the week was a man named Rob Turner.  He was absolutely amazing:)  He was honest, transparent [not literally you ding dongs but in a way that he didn't talk down to the youth but shared his inadequacies and failures as well], and hilarious.

This year's theme was The Pursuit.  Rob [like we're on a first name basis or something] spoke from several of the epistles of Paul to teach us how to pursue God like we've never pursued Him before. From 2 Corinthians 11: 23 - 28, we hear Paul describing his own fight to spread the Gospel. ²³ Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

He started out by saying that we are all in the fight of our lives as we pursue God.  It is a good fight but there are many fights that are just stupid.  Many times, after the fight, we forget what we are fighting for or why the argument began in the first place.  These fights interfere or hold us back from the real fight to know and proclaim the name of Jesus Christ.

He told us that the pursuit is...
a fight.
a finished race.
a trust.
a person.

He asked this question: Who do I need to be today?  We should start our fight, every day, by first battling ourselves - we are the hardest people we will ever have to deal with - by stepping out of the way and remembering that it isn't our plan but God's will in our lives.  Secondly, we set forth to battle our community - jobs, church, friends, etc. - as we seek to follow what scripture tells us.  Lastly, in order to make it "home" [makes me think of the song, This is Not Where I Belong, and hearing Gabe sing it at the top of his lungs because he LOVES this song] we must be competent about what we are saying - know your Bible.  He equated this to a baseball game where we run 3rd, 2nd, then 1st because we want to be in control.  Instead of saying, "What do I need to do today?" we should be asking "Who do I need to be today?"  It is a fight.  A good fight.

The good thing about MFuge [which never, ever crossed my mind until they said it] is that all of the distractions are removed for the youth.  They are not supposed to be texting or on Facebook or Tweeting constantly so cell phones are put away during most of the day.  There is a dress code [I shouldn't have to explain those distractions] and a very tight schedule for all to follow.  Everyone is expected to participate in all activities.  Youth from churches are split up so they are forced to find new friends and new opportunities.  The distractions are limited so that the focus can be where it should be the whole time - on God.

Rob spoke about proclaiming the name of Jesus by doing the following UPs:
Pray up - be steadfast in  your my  prayer life
Look up - seek Jesus with humility
Step up - be bold [incidentally, Craig tells Molly and Cooper this EVERY SINGLE day]
Speak up - don't sit by and let opportunities to share the gospel go by...we never know when it will be the last chance for someone or for ourselves

Many of us look at life through the "thorn" in our side: unworthiness, guilt, irresponsibility, arrogance, mistakes, fear, failures, etc. But in Ephesians 1:3 -13 we see that there are many other ways that we can see our lives, even if there is a "thorn": ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. ¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit...

We have to stand for nothing less than what God would want from us...our thanks [Psalm 118 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."], repentance [1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness.], time [Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."], attitude of compassion for those less fortunate [James 1:27, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."], and to sacrifice that which keeps us from Him [Romans 12:1 - 2 "Therefore, I urge you , brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Don not conform any longer to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."].  Talk about steppin' on my toes...wow.  

Finally we must walk with Christ.  When Jesus walked a human, on Earth, he was dependent on the Father so what makes us me think I can do ANY of this on my own?  Jesus mimicked the Father.   If we mimic the Father also then others will follow suit. Jesus was LOVED by God.  We I should NEVER get over God's love for us, even when circumstances are less than ideal by our my standards. Jesus was used by God to teach others about his love and grace.  He was used to save humanity from itself.   John 5: 19 - 24 explains all of this very clearly: ¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. ²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. ²⁴ “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Last year, during MFuge, I asked God for freedom and boy has he blessed me greatly.  I knew there were some areas of my life that I needed to work on and I have worked to give those things to God in this past year.  It has been a remarkable feeling.  I know there are many things I need to give to Him because I am not that attention to detail sort of person :) More than that, it isn't about me but giving Jesus the glory.

I am thankful for an amazing week to watch my oldest two children grow closer to Christ. There are many parents that will never get to experience what I was able to experience with Molly and Cooper this past week - I am truly, truly blessed.  Looking forward to next year already :)

As always, life couldn't be better!!