Finding Our Focus.

Another year of college begins for many of us, and I’m drawn back to a topic I wrote about this time last year, but with new perspective.  As we embark on this new chapter, I challenge you, and I challenge myself with these words. 

A.W. Tozer said, “Outside of the will of God, there's nothing I want, and in the will of God there's nothing I fear." Let that marinate for a moment.  The will of God is perfect.  It’s already anointed and blessed.  When we’re inside of God’s will, there is nothing to fear in any aspect of our lives.   Are our wills in conflict with His perfect will for our lives?  Are we more concerned with pursuing His will or ours?

Especially as college students, we’re like 3 year olds when it comes to relationships most of the time…all we tend to see is how shiny and attractive the idea of possessing a relationship would be, without realizing that it’s a tool that can injure us unless we have the maturity and wisdom to properly handle it.  What most fail to recognize is that they may not be spiritually ready for a relationship.

This is the analogy God has given me:  relationships are like a set of power tools.  In the Kingdom of God, relationships, when orchestrated and centered by God, can be used to build incredible things and serve as vessels of God’s glory.  Here’s the catch though---YOU WOULDN’T GIVE POWER TOOLS TO A 3-YEAR-OLD.

We approach it from the wrong perspective: ours. 

Let’s view this from God’s perspective.  Relationships are gifts, tools, which can be used to bless one another and further God’s Kingdom.  And God desires to give us good gifts; in Matthew 7:11 we find that, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give GOOD things to those who ask Him!”  He wants to give us good gifts, but only if He knows that He can trust us with those gifts.  And personally, I don’t want that gift, especially the gift of a relationship, unless I know He can say to me, “Megan, I trust you; I know your devotion for me is consecrated and unwavering in love.  I’m so proud of what a pure vessel of My light, love and truth that you are.  I want to bless you with this gift, because I know you will treat it as the tool it is and use it to bring Me glory and to further My kingdom.  I entrust this relationship to you and give it My blessing.” 

And honestly, at this point in my life, I want to be more concerned with the hundreds walking around me every day that remain in bondage and torment than with who I may be impressing or attracting.  I want my heart to break for the things that break God’s heart.  I want to burn for what God is passionate about; seeing people set free, made new, restored, filled with joy, transformed by Love.  Just today, the first day of classes, I sat behind a guy who wore a shirt that said, “Change is the only constant.”  How many around us believe this?  GOD is the only constant!  JESUS is peace! And hope! And love! And joy! And truth! 

Sometimes I think we’d rather be known as someone’s significant other, or as a person in a position of authority/power, or as an individual of much talent and fame, rather than known as God’s child, as a follower of Jesus, as a lover of the King.  I’m learning that ultimately, I want my life to be PDA for God, a public display of abandoned affection and worship to the only One who is worthy. 

I want to be known for encountering the authentic love and presence of God.  Just the other night I heard a humble yet wise freshman guy say, “If I go a few days without worshiping Him, my whole world starts to fall apart.”  Are we that intimate with the Lord that we are absolutely crippled apart from Him?  That our souls are left unsatisfied by anything less that His presence and His Word?  Is He our Strength, our Hiding Place, our All-in-All? 

It just makes me sad to see so many students who believe in God settle for less than all of God’s majesty, the fullness of His will and desires for us…we too often close our hands around what we deem to be the epitome of fulfillment, only to find that living in a lifestyle of open hands outstretched to the Father is always the choice of true blessing.

For when we pursue God’s heart and all His heart burns for, we find that we are in His will, and His blessings and gifts always follow in time. 

I challenge you, and I challenge myself, to not necessarily put our desires on the backburner, but to surrender them wholly and lovingly at the feet of Him whose love and will for us will fulfill every one of our desires in the appointed time.  May we fix our eyes on Jesus and all He has His eyes fixed upon.   May we pour our heart’s perfume, love, and worship upon the One who eternally satisfies.  And may we embody His heart to each person we encounter.   

“I want to waste it all on You,

I want to pour my heart’s perfume.

I don’t care if I’m called a fool,

I want to waste it all on You.”

~Chris McClarney, ‘Waste It All.’

“I love You, Lord and I lift my voice to worship You 

O my soul, rejoice.

 Take joy my King in what You hear;

 May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”

~hymn, ‘I Love You Lord”

notes from my July //oneighty message: the character of God's heart for you.

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to speak to 250 jr. high and high school students about the love and character of God, and His heart for all of us.   Before I continue, let me preface: the dream of God’s heart is for us to love Him with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength.  It’s the FIRST commandment.  But think about it; He desires voluntary lovers, affection children who worship Him with all of their adoration and surrender, who know and trust His character.  He desires lovers who choose to die to their sin and choose the abundant life He offers through Jesus…which includes the beauty of being made new, of joy, of restoration, of hope, of healing, of infinite Love. 

Here’s the thing---Satan wants you to believe lies about the character of God.

You don’t think you believe any lies about the character of God?  Read on.  These are lies even I have believed subconsciously at times.

LIES: You have to earn God’s approval and love.  There are requirements to meet.   You have to fulfill certain steps to please God.  A relationship with God is just about being saved from hell for eternity.  God will make bad things happen in your life to teach you a lesson.  God’s love is relative and behavior-based.  If you sin, it’s a mark against you. 

TRUTH:  God’s desire is FOR you not against you.  That’s why He set up things to work in your favor through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said we should approach God as “Father.”  Jesus said to “Abide in My love” (John 15:9).  God is NOT into torment---He loves you with a perfect love, and perfect Love casts out all fear.  It’s by His grace, love, and goodness that when bad things happen that He works all things together for our good.  As my pastor says, God came to DESTROY not to employ the works of darkness.  His heart for you is goodness (Jer. 29:11).  Satan wants to lead you to guilt, shame, fear, isolation, condemnation….Father God speaks life, joy, peace, clarity, freedom, and sometimes conviction, but hope in that.  Jesus came that we might have abundant life in God.  If you sin or make mistakes, which you will still do even if you’ve given your heart to God and are ‘saved,’ God won’t love you any less when you mess up.  Jesus’ blood covers ALL of your sins---yesterday, today, and forever!  Your failures and shortcomings don’t define you, God does.  Don’t grade yourself differently than God does.  It’s not your job to fix yourself---He is the Healer, and we’re just responsible for being obedient and surrendering to Him, because we can trust Him.  You are never too far gone.  He’s the God of the entire universe, and He is far greater than our weakness.  He is the strength in our weakness. 

One of my dear friends went running a few months ago.  As she ran, she crossed paths with a guy around 20 years old.  God spoke to her and said, “He’s having problems with his parents and is feeling hopeless and alone.  Go pray with him.”  She wasn’t sure if it was God speaking to her, so she prayed, “God, if that’s You, bring me across his path again.”  A few minutes later, she ran by him.  She finally got up the nerve to track this guy down and tell him what the Lord had just told her.  He started to weep in her arms and she prayed with him.  THAT is the heart of God.  He pursues you too, with the same desire---to let you know He cares and desires to see you made whole, complete with His joy. 

My old roommate has had knee problems for a few years. Someone approached her this summer and said that God hurts when she hurts, and He wants to make her well.  This person prayed over her knees, and she told me that she took her first pain-free steps in 3 years.  THAT is the heart of God.  He speaks healing and life to those who choose to embrace His offer. 

At the beginning of my freshman year of college, I bought a poster, which is a photograph of the silhouette of a couple in Italy.  Sitting in my room alone one night, I poured out my frustration to God of how no human relationship of any sort will ever fulfill.  He then revealed His character to me, as I covered the poster with these truths:

“You will fill me with joy in Your presence.” Psalm 16:11

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zeph. 3:17

“Beauty for ashes, joy for mourning…” Isaiah 61:3

“Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with Me.  See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.  Flowers appear upon the earth; the season of singing has come!”  Song of Songs 2:10-12

“I am He who comforts you.”  Isaiah 51: 12

“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’  And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’”  Rev. 21:5

“My Lovingkindness and my Fortress, my High Tower and my Deliverer, my Shield and the One in Whom I take refuge.”  Psalm 144:2

“As the Father loved me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.”  John 15:9

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!  I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait on Him.’  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the ones who seek Him.”  Lam. 3:22-25

“He rescued me because He delighted in me.”  Psalm 18:19

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your hunger with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”  Psalm 103:2-5

“Love never fails.”  1 Cor. 13:8

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matt. 28:20

Jesus paid in full for you.  God waits for you to seek Him, and the dream of His heart is for you to love Him. 

I can’t use eloquent words or captivating stories to change your heart, or life, or even begin to grasp where you are at, you who read this.  The Holy Spirit does all the work, and God gets all the praise.  Please know that He has you reading this for a purpose though.  And He loves you with an everlasting Love.

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'”  Acts 17:26-28

This very moment is a determined time.  What will you do with it, oh precious child?  You are His desire…and your love is the dream of His heart.