You know the guy I’m talking about. He spends hours into the night playing video games and surfing for pornography. He fears he’s a loser. And he has no idea just how much of a loser he is. For some time now, studies have shown us that porn and gaming can become compulsive and addicting….
“God expressed his glory to us in a form we could relate to—a human form. In the incarnation, God came to us in a manner that we could grasp.” - Tim Keller
I’ve witnessed glimpses of Heaven on earth tonight. I know that I’m barely scratching the surface of God’s heart for the poor, but at least it’s something. I’m probably never going to understand it in all of its fullness until I meet Him face to face, but until then, I’m going to keep on seeking it. I can care so much about social justice with the limitations of my own heart. I know that I need Him to open the eyes of my heart to see, hear, smell, and experience the reality that His Spirit is among the poor. I want to understand why Jesus says ‘Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God’.
I’m just in awe from what I’m witnessing out in the streets. Jesus is so near. The Kingdom just makes sense when I am talking to the people out there. I am humbled at my own lack of faith, and how I am so easily prone to lean onto things that are of this world to bring me instant satisfaction and fulfillment. When I engage in conversations with people who really have nothing - literally NOTHING - to depend on except for God, everything just gets so real and authentic. All the lesser things just becomes a blur, and the core values of the kingdom - faith, hope, and love - gets super magnified.
God, help me understand your heart for the poor a little bit more each day. I know that you are there. I see you in Eric, Larry, Elvis, Janet, and even with the woman who was so confused and lost. Holy Spirit, breakthrough the barriers of alcoholism, spiritual oppression, drug abuse, hopelessness, and hurt on the streets and restore your children into the hope of your reality. I can’t love them out of my own will. I just cannot. Holy Spirit, give me your heart for the homeless.
Isaiah 61 - The Year of the Lord’s Favor
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3)
(Source: trustinelements, via strategos)
Let’s not forget this, Jenny. (Taken with instagram)
It just strikes me every time when I think about the intensity of the Father’s commitment to us to transform us into the image of His Son. His number one priority is to make us more and more into the likeness of Jesus, and He will use any means he can in order to meet that end. He is the Gardener that prunes the branches that are already bearing fruit. He is the good shepherd, the gate for the sheep to come in and out, and the one who knows deeply each sheep by name. He’s so deeply committed to me. He is so interested in maturing and disciplining me as a loving Father would discipline his child. Knowing this, how can I not give my 100% to him every day? Who is more deserving of my attention, my affection, my time, and my energy than Him?
Through our relationship with him and our relationships with other believers, God is in the process of restoring his image in us. He is making us like himself.
He does this by his Spirit, as his grace and Word are applied to our lives through the incarnational ministry of believers…
