His Law is Love, & His Gospel is Peace

Merry Christmas everyone! It really is the most wonderful time of the year. Everything about this holy season makes me feel joyful, from the smell of peppermint to the sound of Christmas music playing all around my house. I went to Kingsland Baptist's candlelight Christmas Eve service tonight, and as always, it was beautiful. The sight of a dark room filled with candles representing Jesus bringing light to the world once filled with darkness never ceases to amaze me.


"I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." John 8:12


This will be a short post, as Santa may just be on his way to the Semple household and I know I'll be woken up bright and early by the youngest member of the family, but I just wanted to share my feelings about this special day. It's easy to lose the meaning of Christmas in the commercialism that surrounds the holiday, but the reason that this day is celebrated is to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior. Christmas has been celebrated for around 1,700 years now in countries all across the world, all as a remembrance of the Son of God who was sent to bring hope to the world. When being questioned, Jesus told the Pharisees, "Since you don't know who I am, you don't know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father." (John 8:19) To believe in the God of Creation, you must also believe that He so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life (John 3:16). God loves us, and Jesus is a symbol of this truth. One of my favorite Christmas carols is O Holy Night, and I especially love the following lines: 


"Truly He taught us to love one another, 
His law is love, and His gospel is peace."


Being a Christian isn't a political thing, there shouldn't be formalities and fanciful traditions and rituals tied to the religion. Christianity is about believing in a loving God - a God who, over 2,000 years ago, set us free from the Kingdom of Darkness. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 6:24)


Merry Christmas y'all. As corny as this sounds, remember that Jesus truly is the reason for the season! Have a blessed day! 


In Christ's Holy name,
Ailee


Click to listen to Glee's version of O Holy Night - so good!

Spiritually Renewed

It has been entirely too long since my last post, but it was this lull in my "Semplistic Thoughts on Life and Faith" (corny, yes) that inspired me to get to typing again. The past few weeks have been chaotic, with work assignments, traveling, Thanksgiving, and entertaining (albeit, lovely) guests. The result of this fast-paced life is me feeling spiritually distant from God -- never a good place to be. I have been reading through the New Testament, and in the past week, hadn't picked up my Bible until yesterday. I got some good reading in yesterday and today, and with a little inspiration from a friend, I am feeling much more connected with God -- spiritually renewed, if you will. 

Why do we have this times when we drift apart from the Lord? Does it happen to everyone else too? I always feel so guilty when I let life get into the way of my spiritual connection to God. He is the reason I'm living, and I should be living for Him, not for other wordly reasons. Without God at the forefront of our thoughts, other things begin to distract us further, and we become susceptible to other temptations.

One of the most encouraging things about Christianity is that our God is a God whose love knows no limits. Even when we shun God, disregard His word, or act in a manner that doesn't glorify His name, the Lord never, ever stops loving us. In Luke Chapter 15, verses 23-24, Jesus tells a parable about a father whose son disobeys him, leaving the family to go and live selfishly. This story is typically told as the "Prodigal Son" -- but I prefer to think of it as "The Story of the Loving Father." When the son decides to return to his dad, the man does not reprimand him for his actions, he instead is full of joy and runs around saying, "We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has returned to life. He was lost, but now is found." God is that father, He loves us unconditionally. I honestly don't think we can fully wrap our head around that fact -- it is honestly very helpful to be blessed with two earthly parents who have been loving to me my entire life, but God loves us infinitely more. I know that the following verse is one of the most quoted in Christianity, but it is so applicable and inspiring: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Love it.

This post isn't the most thought out or spiritually provoking, but I just wanted to remind everyone that it is never too late to turn back to God if you find yourself feeling distant and making decisions you normally wouldn't make. Chris Tomlin's song "Unfailing Love" is so beautiful. The lyrics move me and I thought I'd share some of them:

You have my heart

And I am Yours forever

You are my strength

God of grace and power

And everything You hold in Your hand

Still You make time for me

I can't understand

Praise You God of Earth and sky

How beautiful is Your unfailing love

Unfailing love

Unfailing love, what a truly magnificent concept. My last comments for the post are to offer some tips for how I get spiritually reconnected with God if ever in a "rut."

1. Go to church
2. Listen to an Austin Stone podcast
3. Talk to a Christian friend about your feelings and invite inspiration
4. Read your Bible
5. Write/journal
6. Go to a spot where you feel most attuned with God -- for me that's anywhere serene and outdoors
7. Read Christian novels ("Same Kind of Different As Me," "Redeeming Love," and "Blue Like Jazz" are my top picks)
8. Last, but not least, pray!

We all have those times when we feel distant from God, but turn back to Him -- He is waiting with open arms. I pray that you will be inspired to take action after reading this blog, whether that be in your own spiritual life or in someone else's around you. You may never know what is going on in someone's walk of faith unless you ask them. 

In Jesus' name,

Ailee

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." 

-Hebrews 4:16

A Proverbs 31 Girlfriend

I am by no means an expert on faith-based dating (for lack of a better term) -- in fact, I've only seriously dated one person since becoming a Christian. However, this topic heavily impacts nearly everyone's lives as we are surrounded by people who are single and looking to date, already dating, and married. In my Sunday School class and in conversation with my friends, the issue of dating comes up regularly, and it has been weighing on my heart recently. Therefore, I decided to dedicate this post to my sisters in Christ by writing them a letter. The following are my thoughts regarding the role for women in a relationship. I hope that my opinions cause you to pause for a moment and think deeply on the importance of being an encouraging girlfriend, whether you are in a relationship now or are single.

Dearest Sister,
You've probably been told this a million times before, but I'll remind you again -- a guy needs to be so in love with the Lord that you must seek Him to find him. The number one most important attribute of a potential boyfriend is a common love for God. This commonality is like rock, whereas a relationship built on physical attraction is akin to sand.

When you begin your relationship, there are certain roles that the two of you are to fulfill biblically; he, the leader, and you, the encourager. Proverbs 31 speaks of the women's role in a relationship. Verse 10 reads, "Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings his good, not harm, all the days of her life." You must do whatever it takes to be supportive of your boyfriend's faith and help him to grow spiritually. You mustn't tempt him sexually or demand that he spend all of his time with you. Instead, act in a way that avoids temptation, encourage him to spend time alone with the Lord and in community with other believers, and engage him in spiritual conversations in which you push each other to grow stronger in your faith. By participating in the list of "don'ts," you are actually distracting him and causing his love for God to weaken, hence uprooting the core of your relationship which was built on your faith.

I understand that it is easy to fall into a pattern of wanting to spend all day, everyday together, and that sexual temptation is all too common nowadays, but remember that God is infinitely stronger than your greatest weaknesses and that although Christ died for your sins, we must aim to live in a way that brings glory to our Father in heaven.

Here is a prayer that may help you in times of struggle or may remind you to thank God for the relationship you have.

Lord, thank you so much for blessing me
With someone who loves You above all others,
I pray that you give me wisdom,
So that I can help my boyfriend to grow and mature spiritually,
In order for our relationship may strengthen,
Please remind me of the importance of respecting him,
So that he may in turn respect me,
Even when I am tempted, Father,
Remind me that You are here with me at all times, 
Continue to teach me Your ways.


I pray that You teach me to be selfless,
And put his spiritual needs before my selfish desires,
Help me to be an encourager in his life,
So that he may lead me in my faith,
Bless our time together and our conversations,
And help us to glorify Your name,
And never shame You with our thoughts and actions.


I pray that we be guided by the Holy Spirit,
And that our relationship can be inspirational to others,
That they may look to our connection,
And long to understand why our actions differ from those of the world,
Lord, You are good all the time,
And I am so grateful for the relationship which You help to grow,
Thank You for all You do in my life.

Dating is a topic I love to talk to people about. Many of the conversations I've engaged in recently about dating have been very encouraging and inspiring, yet some have been very concerning. I love talking to people about their thoughts regarding the posts, so please let me know if you ever want to talk about anything going on in your life, or if I can pray for you or someone else you know who is struggling.

In Jesus' name,
Ailee

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised."
Proverbs 31:30

Praying for a Preview

If there has been one main lesson that God has been trying to teach me throughout the past year, it is one of patience. In all aspects of life, He has been forcing me to wait, which, as a result, causes me to rely on faith alone and less on my own understanding.

A constant prayer of mine recently has been, "I am trusting You, o Lord, my future is in Your hands … (pause) … but would You mind giving me just a little clue about what this good future You've promised me looks like?" (Psalms 31:14-15). How foolish is that? My life isn’t a Blockbuster movie- He doesn't owe it to me to show me a preview of what is to come. By not directly answering my prayers, I am being forced to trust Him in what sometimes feels like a blind manner. Instead of physically seeing my future, I must cling to His covenant as a reassurance of His love for me and as a reminder of the prosperous future that is promised to His followers in Jeremiah 29:11 (“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”)

As a result of my continuous wondering what the upcoming years have in store, I have begun to realize that I focus too much on the future and don’t spend enough time enjoying life day-by-day. Ralph Waldo Emerson eloquently stated that “Life is a journey, not a destination.” I often wish I embraced this truth more wholeheartedly, as I think I would be genuinely more patient, knowing that there is no rush to get to specific deadlines, to know certain truths, to accomplish goals or tasks. In channeling my energy towards each day, I am able to focus on bettering myself in the moment – living a holy, pure life seems much more attainable when you think about it smaller increments.


Another renowned figure in American literature, Emily Dickinson, described her thoughts on religion in a poem titled “Some Keep the Sabbath by Going to Church.” In the last stanza, she stated, “So, instead of getting to heaven at last, I’m going, all along.” My interpretation of these lines is that she focuses on living her spirituality and faith on a daily basis, not just believing in God as a means to an end.

When reflecting on childlike impatience, the most vivid of memories is that of being in a car with my parents, asking the question: “Mom! Dad! Are we there yet?” 1 Corinthians 13:11 reads, “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” It’s time for me to grow up, to be more patient, and to focus on living every moment in its entirety. James 4:14 is a reminder of the urgency to act in this manner. The verse says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog – it is here a little while, then it’s gone.” The answer to James’ question is that we do not know, and there is sometime inertly frustrating (to me), but ultimately beautiful, about that fact, and I will continue to pray for more patience from the Lord. Needless to say, I want my “morning fog” of a life to be as meaningful as possible.

My song of the moment is “Mighty to Save” performed by Hillsong. I love it. Hopefully you enjoy it too!


In His precious and holy name,


Ailee

Cleansing Power

“Now that you are obedient children of God, do not live as you did in the past. You did not understand, so you did the evil things you wanted. But be holy in all you do, just as God, the One who called you, is holy.” – 1 Peter 1:14-15

I spent much of my adolescence as a nonbeliever, confused about religion and unsure of what to think about God. I went to Pine Cove, a Christian camp, participated in FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and dated believers, but I still did not put my faith in Jesus Christ until the beginning of my senior year when I began to go to Kingsland Baptist Church every week with Alisdair, Blake, and a group of my close girl friends. It was during this year that I became a Christian, and in the middle of my freshman year of college, I was baptized. This is a brief version of my testimony, one that I shared earlier today with the 10^th grade girls in my Sunday School class. Before I became a follower of Christ, I “did the evil things [I] wanted,” like the apostle Peter described in the verse above. My bible (NLV) says, “You did not know any better then,” and I couldn’t agree more. I was not making decisions to live a pure life like I do now, but at the time, I couldn’t fully comprehend why I should act any differently. I wanted to make my parents proud, but I was able to hide things from them that I know I cannot hide from God.

My 100 Favorite Bible Verses book states: “To be holy…is a lifetime of moment-by-moment decisions where you choose God’s moral standards over what the current culture says is acceptable… The closer you grow to God, the easier it is to keep your eyes on Him, and the more your character will grow to resemble the holiness of His own.” I love this description of what being holy means because it is so true. As I have grown closer and closer to the Lord over the past few years, living a pure, holy life has become far more easy, with much temptation from the Devil not being able to penetrate the relationship I have with God. James 4:8 says, “Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure.” We are all sinners, yet it is part of our duty as Christians to try to “clean sin out of our lives.” Since Jesus Christ died for our transgressions, we know that we can pray for forgiveness when we make mistakes, but this is not an excuse to repeatedly live in sin, relying solely on prayer and forgiveness. If we truly love God, we would not want to sin because we should want to make Him proud of all that we do.

In 2 Corinthians 7:1, the Bible says, “Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.” I love that Paul uses the term “cleanse ourselves,” because I genuinely feel as if I was cleansed when I became a Christian, made new by the Holy Spirit.  After spending seventeen years allowing myself to be “defiled,” as Paul puts it, I was made completely pure again, and for this, I will be forever thankful. I know many Christians that choose to have sex outside of marriage, and I would never judge them for this decision, but I personally think that is it important to “work toward complete holiness because we fear God,” like Paul stated. I was once discussing premarital sex with a Christian guy friend, and he pointed to James 2:10, which says “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.” His point was to say that all sins are weighed equally in God’s eyes, i.e. cussing is as bad a sin as sex outside of marriage. The logic to this reasoning seems so broken, yet reflective of our today's culture. Instead of saying "Oh, okay, well then I'll have sex if it's just as bad as cussing," I believe that our response needs to be more along the lines of– “So, shouldn’t you focus on not swearing?”

When we put our faith in the Lord, our bodies are not only made pure, but so are our souls. In Psalm 86:11-13, David writes, “Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth. Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor You; with all my heart I will praise You, O Lord my God; I will give glory to Your name forever, for Your love for me is very great, You have rescued me from the depths of death.” This verse is one of my absolute favorites. God grants us purity when we pray for it – what a miracle indeed. Praise the Lord :)

Of course, we are all sinners and are bound to slip up from time to time, whether that be judging someone for something they say or getting drunk and giving in to our body's desires. It is important to remember that God will forgive when you repent of your sins, but it is also crucial to understand what James 1:13-14 says about the root of temptation: “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.” Matt Carter, the pastor at the Austin Stone, preached an incredible series on Temptation in August, 2010, and I highly recommend that you listen to the sermons on iTunes.

Lastly, I want to end with one of the most moving Christian songs I know. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” I pray that these lyrics to “Amazing Grace” stir the same emotions in you as they do in me. Salvation is such a beautiful gift, one for which I simply cannot thank God enough. My prayer for anyone who may still be feeling lost or confused is that they too will be able to proudly say, “Now I see.”

In His name,

Ailee

Walking or Sinking

“Champagne makes you feel like it's Sunday and better days are just around the corner." I read this quote by Marlene Dietrich yesterday, and it made me happy, not only because I love champagne but also at the possibility of making every day Sunday. The Sabbath is truly my favorite day of the week, and today has been simply wonderful. I decided to focus on the issue of trusting God in my personal Bible time this week, as this is one aspect of my faith that I struggle with often, given my tendency to be a little bit (ha!) of a control freak. A few months ago, I even painted a canvas (above) with a verse from the book of Psalms to remind myself that my future is in God's hands, not my own.


The topic of trusting God has many different components, but this post will focus on the following four aspects: trusting that God answers prayers no matter how big the request may be, how God reminds us to trust Him, remaining faithful in times of joy and hardship, and the ways in which we exhibit our lack of trust. 


The power of prayer: what a beautiful place to start :) I am just finishing off  book 3  of The Yada Yada Prayer Group book series by Christian author Neta Jackson, and throughout the novels, I have been constantly reminded that my prayer life lacks a certain rigor and fervency that I see in these (yes, fictional) women. When the Yada Yada Prayer Group are faced with a range of severe challenges, the first thing these strong ladies do is turn to the Lord and ask for His help. Although I am an avid prayer, I have a tendency to think and worry about the situation before remembering that I can always turn to God. In a sermon at the Austin Stone on June 6, 2010, guest pastor Halim Suh said, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we can't see." Halim's definition of faith is spot on - we are fully trusting the Lord when we are confident that our prayers will be answered. Holding back and forgetting to give my burden to God in prayer is a sign that sometimes I forget that God is capable of all things. Ayiesha Wood sings a very powerful song called "Big Enough," that touches on the power of God: "You turned water into wine - how extraordinary, gave sight to the blind - and still I carry my own load when you told me, To take Your yoke ‘cause Yours is easy. And even though my issues seem trivial, You alone are never too imperial, it's just the way that You love me, it's enough to convince me. And I don't wanna box You in, You've been doing big things since the world began, Sometimes I just don't wanna believe, That You're big enough - but You're big enough yeah." He truly is big enough, and I think that we sometimes need to be reminded that He has, indeed, "been doing big things since the world began."


In addition to having confidence in God through our prayers, God's desire for us to trust Him is so strong that He sanctioned one day of every week to be the Sabbath, when we are to rest and be rejuvenated spiritually (Genesis 2:1-3). In Deuteronomy 5:12-15, another purpose for the Sabbath is laid out. "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you... Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with His strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day." So, the Bible is saying that on this day of rest, we are to be reminded that if victory or success comes into our life, it is because of God, and God alone. The Israelites being lead out of Egypt and into the Promised Land was not because of their own ability, but instead an act of God's "strong hand and powerful arm." In an Austin Stone sermon from November 8, 2009, Pastor Matt Carter talks about how he is able to relax on his Sabbath day by reading the Bible and spending time with the Lord, yet he was experiencing trouble giving up the desire to plan ahead for the following week's service. This drive for future preparation is, in essence, like saying to God, "I don't trust you." I often have struggled with the same issue as Matt; however, because we know that God has "plans to prosper [us] and not to harm [us], plans to give [us] hope and a future," our trust in the Lord should be strong enough for us to fully let go on the Sabbath and to sit in awe at His bigness (Jeremiah 29:11). When we hope for great things, the Bible says that we can be "confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God" (2 Corinthians 3:4-5). 


The following statement may just be my opinion, but I find trusting in God far easier to do when life is going smoothly as opposed to when I am faced with trials and tribulations. Luckily, I have not had to deal with anything too grave in my life, with the exception of the year in which I lost three grandparents. Nevertheless, the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew chapter 14 is something I think about often. The disciples were in a boat when strong winds began to rise and they were facing heavy waves. In the middle of the storm, the disciples see Jesus walking toward them on water, and although they cry out, "It's a ghost," Jesus tells them not to be afraid. He says to them, "The 'I Am' is here." Then Peter calls out to Jesus, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water," to which Jesus complied. As Peter steps off the boat, he begins to walk on the water, until he suddenly feels the strong wind and sees the massive waves. Feeling terrified, Peter instantly begins to sink, yelling, "Save me, Lord!" In verse 31, the Bible says that "Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. 'You have so little faith...Why did you doubt me?" This story makes me question what I would do in the same situation. I would absolutely love to say that I would look at the storm and know without a sliver of a doubt that I trusted Jesus, but I am not sure that I wouldn't react more like Peter and feel scared. When the wind and waves were not obvious to Peter, he trusted in God, but when he saw the treacherous weather, his trust wavered. When faced with trials in life, the Bible says that we should not only maintain our trust in the Lord, but that we should also "consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow" (James 1:2-3). Isn't that marvelous? I love trying to reframe negatives and make them into positives, and I feel this verse from James reminds us to do just that.


Lastly, it is important to consider how we, as Christ followers, exhibit a lack of trust in our daily lives. In Francis Chan's book titled Crazy Love, Chan says that by worrying and stressing, we "communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in [our] life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that we've been forgiven, that our lives are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won't be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God's strength, our problems are small indeed. Why are we so quick to forget God?" In addition, Chan adds that "worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what is happening in our lives" (Chapter 2, pg. 41-42). Is that not the truth?! I read this paragraph, reread it, and read it again. I worry far too much, and I know that instead of stressing over something I am not in control of, I should do as Philippians 4:6 tells me, and "...not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done." This ties back perfectly to the first application, trusting that God answers our prayers. 


I genuinely hope that the issues and verses in this post are applicable to others' lives in addition to mine. I pray that our trust in the Lord's 'bigness' continues to grow stronger, that our prayers become more powerful, that we remember our future is in God's hands, that we will be able to trust in God in both good times and bad, and that instead of worrying and stressing, that we find peace in knowing that "in the context of God's strength, our problems are small indeed."


I love worship music :) So I thought I'd share my recommendation for this week. Chris Tomlin and Christy Nockels: "Our God Reigns" (starts at 4:31)


In His name,
Ailee


"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." 
Proverbs 3:5-6

Reverent Intimacy

Well, I did it: I faced the fact that I'm no longer in Austin and therefore, unable to attend the Austin Stone. Instead, I went to Kingsland Baptist and arrived with a big smile on my face and the Holy Spirit alive within me (Ezekiel 36:27, "And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees..."). I felt joyful to be back at the church where I was baptized four years ago. The message was very moving, as Pastor Alex's always are, and although the worship was a complete 180 degree change from that of the Austin Stone, it was still good. What a nice reminder from the Lord that change is not always bad (or perhaps it rarely is). 


The sermon was on the book of Proverbs in its entirety. The purpose of Proverbs is to teach people how to be understanding, just and fair in everything that they do. Proverbs 1:2 tells us that "Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise." The poems, parables, questions, couplets, etc. in this book are very much relationship-driven and speak of Biblical wisdom, which does not mean intellect, but instead is about revelation and response. Nowadays, people tend to measure knowledge and wisdom by using IQ tests, SAT scores, or GPAs. However, the Bible clearly says that the "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" (Proverbs 1:7). I don't want to go so far as to say the concept of fearing God is foreign today, but it is not something that many pastors are preaching about in 2010. Fearing God seems to have a negative connotation, but I believe it to be quite the opposite.


By my nature, I have an easier time accepting God more in the terms of the Old Testament than of the New, which details Him sending His one and only Son to die for our sins so that we can be saved. However, it is essential that we understand our God as He is described in the Bible. In the Hebrew version of the Bible, there are two names used to describe God, one of which is Elohim and the other being Yahweh. 'Elohim' is used in the Bible by Moses and means 'might' and 'power.' In Genesis Chapter 2, God is referred to as 'Yahweh.' Yahweh is not a generic name, it is a personal, intimate name (For more on this subject, listen to Austin Stone's podcast from 11/22/09 called "The Bigness and Nearness of God" -- I highly recommend it). God is loving, kind, and forgiving, but He is also the Ruler of the world and demands that we fear Him. In 1 Peter 2:16-17, Peter writes, "For you are free, yet you are God's slaves, so don't use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king." The Bible also describes God as loving and forgiving in the book Numbers: "The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion" (Numbers 14:18). 


Personally, I think that the diminishing fear of God in the world is a major cause for many of the problems in the church and with Christianity. Have we forgotten that our God once sent a great flood to the earth because of human violence and corruption (Genesis 6:9-13)? Don't get me wrong, our God is a God of all things, meaning that He is also a God of indescribable love. I am so thankful that I can ask Him for forgiveness when I make mistakes. At the same time, I understand that in my fearing the Lord, I gain wisdom and knowledge, and I am also thankful for this truth.


This brings us to the next question: What does it look like to fear God? I've been thinking about this on a personal level, and I think it means different things to every unique individual. However, I believe that what it means to everyone is that we must be genuine in our asking for forgiveness when we sin, and we must repent when we fall short of the glory of God. It is also very important to understand God does accept our repentance and we must praise Him for this fact and not linger too long on our guilt. I have been reading Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love," in which he says we must love God with a "reverent intimacy," that is, to love and fear Him.


Lastly, Pastor Alex made a joke during the sermon that every week, churches across the world should be celebrating in "awe-full" worship. And let's be honest, he is so right. Fortunately (or maybe it's more unfortunate), I am able to sing both awfully and awe-fully. How else to describe the God I just detailed in the text above than to use the phrase "awe inspiring"? Like in last week's post, another worship song that has come to mind while writing. In fact, it keeps playing over and over again in my head, and quite frankly, I love it. I first listened to "Our God is an Awesome God" by Kirk Franklin when I went to Pine Cove Christian Camp many, many years ago. It's very... reggae? Anyways, the lyrics are wonderful and it makes me want to dance :)


Click to Listen to "Our God is an Awesome God"


My prayer is that more Christians will begin to love God with a reverent intimacy, that we can fear Him and love Him, and that in our worship, we will appreciate the awesome-ness of the Lord.


In His precious and holy name,
Ailee

Following the Message, Not the Messenger

It's been just over a month since I moved out of Austin, and my heart has been longing to be back in Austin High School worshiping at the Austin Stone. I have truly been struggling to come to terms with the fact that I need to get settled back into church-life in Houston. During the past three years at the Stone I have really grown spiritually, and so I have many positive associations with my time at this church. The worship, the pastor, the church body, the spiritual atmosphere -- everything about the Austin Stone is incredibly moving. At the same time, I have always known in my heart that I am not supposed to be in love with this particular church, for it says in the Bible that our heart's affection is to be to God, for whom the church was created.


After mulling over this issue for some time,  I decided to listen to a sermon I knew would help ground myself in the word of God and to help remind me who it is I am truly in love with (of course, the podcast is from the Austin Stone, but that is besides the point!). On January 12, 2008, Matt Carter preached a message titled "Following the Message, Not the Messenger," during which he discusses the problem with the church in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 1:12, Paul, the author of this book of the Bible, said, "Some of you are saying, 'I am a follower of Paul.' Others are saying, 'I  follow Apollos,' or 'I follow Paul.'" Paul's reaction to these churchgoers is evident in his response in verse 13: "Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!" Followers of Christ should not also call themselves followers of certain church leaders, although we are to honor our church elders. By saying that "I follow Paul" or "I follow Matt Carter," we are in essence dismissing our faith in Jesus, as He is the only One who is worthy of our worship and praise and in whom Christians should have an unmovable faith. Matt does point out that the Bible says we must respect the elders of the church, but we must never submit to them to the point that the submission brings division to the church of Jesus Christ.


"Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit." - Hebrews 13:17


Another application of the verse from 1 Corinthians is the importance of recognizing that religious preaching and messages come from God Himself, and therefore, we should celebrate His word alone and not idolize the various messengers around the world who speak His word. In the sermon, Matt discusses various examples of people idolizing Christian leaders, both dead and alive, and how when we make it to Heaven, all humans will be on their knees, side by side, praising Jesus Christ, and how in that moment, it will not matter which of us wrote bestselling Christian novels or sang chart topping Christian hits.


This is an important issue to think about, as I believe it is easy for us to look to people on earth whom God uses to spread the Gospel and to think that these individuals are higher and more worthy of God's praise than the rest of us. For example, when David was a young boy and defeated the giant Goliath, the Israelites spoke of David's triumph and sung his praises instead of being in awe of the power of God. The Bible clearly says, "So the Lord saved Israel that day" (1 Samuel 14:23), and so the Israelites should have been celebrating God's presence in the battle. I understand this struggle, as there are definitely people in my life who have helped me grow stronger in my faith, and sometimes I feel inclined to give them more credit than is due. Of course, I still need to continue to honor and respect these "messengers," but I must always remember that God moved them to move me.


Lastly, the sermon really ties into my struggle to accept the fact that I will no longer be able to attend the Austin Stone every Sunday. The message was an excellent reminder that God is the same God all across the world. Although Matt Carter may not be always be the messenger, pastors in Houston are preaching about the very same God. I will keep praying for this to resonate in my soul and that I, and other Stone "graduates," will be able to find a new church home that moves them like the Austin Stone does.


As I was writing this post, "Praise the Father, Praise the Son" came to mind, which seems fitting, given that Chris Tomlin was the worship leader at the Stone for my first year of attendance. "Oh praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit, three in one. Clothed in power and in grace, the name above all other names."


Click to listen to Praise the Father, Praise the Son :)


In His name,
Ailee

Let Your Light So Shine Before Men

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven." -Matthew 5:14,16


Since Christians are called to be the light of the world, like a 'city on a hill' that cannot be hidden, we must shine our light on those in our lives who live in darkness. 'City upon a hill' became a phrase used in American lexicon in the 1630's when John Winthrop, a well-known Puritan, used the expression in a sermon titled "A Model of Christian Charity." Winthrop said, "For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in the work we have undertaken, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God." The message that Winthrop is delivering is extremely important, one which many Christians struggle with. I know a lot of nonbelievers whose opinion of Christians is that they are hypocritical -- preaching about sins, purity, etc. and then turning around and gossiping, lying, and partying excessively. In a way, their perception of Christianity as a whole is tainted by the few people who "deal falsely with our God," as Winthrop said. While God forgives us for our sins and Jesus' blood paid for our falling short of the glory of God, I fear that nonbelievers are not so quick as to wipe our slates clean. Although we may not want to accept that our sins may cause others to "speak evil of the ways of God," this is an inevitable truth, as evidenced by disdain and criticisms of Christianity following the widespread press coverage that has followed the "outing" of pastors/preachers around the world for their sexual immorality.


The aforementioned problem touches on a major fear of mine -- that I will be a poor role model to others whom I have the power to positively influence. Although I understand that nobody is perfect -- every one of us makes mistakes in our daily routines, I think that it is important to strive to live as sinlessly as possible and not to rely too heavily on God's forgiveness. One of the goals I aim for in life is to be able to have people look at me and to see Him.  After all, Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created human beings in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them."


I think that part of our duty as Christians is to proudly take ownership of the responsibility to be a light to God's word, but we must acknowledge that our influence goes beyond that of surface level leadership. We must walk the walk as well as talking the talk. One of the most simple ways to embody this is to simply ask, "What would Jesus do?" Although this advice sounds very cliché, thinking about the Biblical response to difficult situations helps us to be the guiding light to others. There are times when we think people are not watching what we do, but this is not the case. Acting as "a city upon a hill [that] cannot be hidden," Christians must be aware that our actions are being carefully monitored, whether we have welcomed this scrutiny or not. It is important to use this opportunity to help others see the goodness of our Lord, because when our light shines before men, they may "see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven." 


A wonderful song that touches on our desire to glorify God is Jeremy Camp's "Give You Glory." The chorus of the song is as follows: "We give You glory, lifting up our hands and singing holy, You alone are worthy, we just want to touch Your heart, Lord, touch Your heart." A truly beautiful song, with a moving message. I pray that this post helps invoke thought about the consequences of our actions, and that we will all continue to work towards being strong Christian role models.


In His name,
Ailee

Why Haiti? Or Better Yet, Why Not Austin?

Another incredibly moving sermon from God -- conveyed through Matt, of course (see podcast from 1/12/08 titled "Following the Message, Not the Messanger"). Today we listened to a powerful message at the Austin Stone, one aimed to help give possible causes of the recent earthquake in Haiti. Recently, there has been press coverage of church leaders proclaiming 'the cause' of this devastating occurrence -- for example, that "God caused the earthquake because of Haiti's sin." Matt was quick to point out the arrogance of such a proclamation -- for a human to profess that they know God's mind is a bold move. However, we do know that God has, in the past, used natural disasters because of human sin. The most well-known of these incidents is the story of Noah and the Ark. When God sees the state of the earth in Genesis, He says, "Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die" (verse 17). In other words, what the pastor stated to be known fact is of course a possibility, but is it the reason? We cannot know.

Another troubling explanation that has arisen from the media is one which is best illustrated through a Twitter message that quickly was "retweeted" by followers. The "tweet" read something along the lines of "The earthquake was just a natural disaster; the little boy being saved was an act of God", referencing the 7-year old Haitian boy would was pulled from the rubble after being trapped for eight days. The problem with this message? The crucial element missing in this assumption that God causes only good things to occur, is that this notion is untrue, and to believe this would be sacrilegious. On November 22nd, 2009, Matt preached a message about our God being both Elohim and Yahweh, and to only worship the forgiving, loving, tender God would be an act of idolatry, as that is not who our God is. In the book of Job, the wife of Job asks "'I thought your God was good!'" (2:10), to which Job replied "'You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?'" (42:11). For more on suffering well, listen to the Austin Stone podcast from 4/27/09, in which Matt preaches over Isaiah 45:5-7.

After firmly disproving the two statements about why the earthquake occurred in Haiti, Matt moved on to give three "take-aways" that help to explain why God would have caused this natural catastrophe. God uses disasters to force us to turn our gaze inward, upward and outward.

Instead of focusing on the question of "Why Haiti?", we should instead dwell more on the question of "Why not Austin?" The earthquake should produce in us a judgement of our own sin as opposed to making brash statements such as "God caused the earthquake in Haiti because of their sins." In Luke chapter 13, Jesus finds out that Pilate had murdered people in Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. Jesus then asks "'Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all of the other people from Galilee?...Not at all! And you will perish too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God'" (2-3). God's grace allows us to be alive today; therefore, we must respond to the news of the earthquake with humility and not self-righteousness.

The second result which God intended is for us to turn our gaze upward to Him alone. When Job's friends refuse to believe his innocence, claiming that the hardships which Job faced could result only from his sin, Job persistently attempts to protest his innocence. In chapter 38, the Lord "answered Job from the whirlwind" asking "Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?...Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much" (1,4). In chapter 42, Job responds to the Lord, saying "'I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes'" (5). It was only after Job had endured many difficult times that he was able to truly see God in a new light.

Not only does God cause us to gaze inward at our own sin and upward to Him, but we are also forced to look outward at the suffering in the world. A line in one of my favorite worship songs titled "Hosanna" says "Break my heart for what breaks Yours." This lyric summarizes the last purpose very well -- sometimes God uses drastic measures in order to open our eyes to suffering that is occurring in the world. Matt quoted one of our worship leaders, saying that "Haiti was a humanitarian disaster before the earthquake ever happened" -- but did we know, or worse, did we care before? James 1:27 reads, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." The generous outpouring of monetary and food donations to the poor, broken people of Haiti is a very real sign that God has opened up peoples' eyes all across the world.

After such a hard-hitting message, it was hard not to get emotional during closing worship as pictures of Haitis flashed across the display screens. I want so badly to be able to go to Haiti for a spring break mission trip, but I have been searching for opportunities online and most sources say that financial donations are much more in need than manual labor right now. Regardless, there are many ways to provide to the Haiti relief effort. It is also crucial to remember that there are many people in need in the local community.

I pray that this message touches your heart like it did mine. If you want to listen to the sermon, subscribe to the Austin Stone podcast on iTunes and get the message from 1/31/10.

In His name,
Ailee

Better Standoffish than Adulterer

It feels so good to be back in the beautiful city of Austin and to be able to physically go to the Austin Stone and listen to Matt preach in person. Not to mention the fact that worshipping with hundreds of others beats belting it out in my bedroom alone (although one of those two options saves me from side glances and stares!!)  It is true that the Lord has blessed us all abundantly -- unfortunately, a good singing voice was not in my pre-planned package.

Today's sermon was from the book of Genesis. In verse 15, Moses writes that "The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it." This basic statement describes the purpose that was laid out for man, given as a reward and not as a punishment for sin, as Adam was still alone on the earth at this point. Verse 18 says "Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.'" Matt stated that this verse is commonly preached to demonstrate the importance of community, but there are many more implications. The word "helper" describes the purpose of God's creating Eve - to help Adam fulfill the calling that the Lord has put in his life. Many people may dislike the use of the word "helper," as it tends to imply that women are solely a "sidekick" or that we are on a lower level than men. In reality, "helper" carries a very strong, positive connotation. Other "helpers" that are mentioned throughout the Bible include the Holy Spirit and God the Father. Psalm 121 reads "I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my Help come from? My Help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth" (verses 1 & 2).

After establishing the purpose of man and woman's relationship together, Matt then addresses a very serious issue -- adultery (referring to sex outside of marriage, not just in affairs). Apparently, 90% of affairs are birthed out of the workplace -- a staggering and sobering statistic, especially since most couples both hold work positions in our society. Knowing the purpose that God's had for our relationships, this fact makes sense. When man and woman labor together for a common cause, they are in essence simulating something that God designed for husband and wife. This does not mean that all coed work environments must necessarily be a breeding ground for adultery -- there are ways to avoid this sin. The most simplistic of these is to flee from sexual immorality, something that is so prevalent in our society today. Take for example, the Britney Spears song "3," in which she sings "Livin' in sin is the new thing." This clearly demonstrates the tolerance that our culture has for immorality -- as sad as that is.

Matt lists some simple rules that he follows in order to avoid any tension in the workplace. The first one that he mentions is to never be alone with a coworker of the opposite sex, in his case his administrative assistant. The second is to keep their conversation at a very surface level, as any more intimate or personal topics should be kept between her and her husband. Matt then quotes his mentor -- "It is better to be thought of as a little standoffish than as an adulterer." I love this quote. It is so true -- sometimes being kind and thoughtful can be misinterpreted as deeper feelings, which can act as a trigger for sinful thoughts and desires.

One important thing to keep in mind in a relationship is to guard one's heart, in order to protect oneself from Satan, who will do anything to lure us towards sin. Proverbs 4:20-27 speaks of this, with verse 23 which reads "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." In order for a relationship to persevere through all hardships and trials, the foundation cannot be built on physical attraction of longing for companionship, but instead must be a mutual calling to live a life dedicated to God. Men need to look for a woman who loves Jesus Christ more than she loves him, and women need to look for a man who loves the Lord more than anyone else on the earth. In Proverbs 31:10, the Bible says, "Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies..." and in verse 30-31, "Charm is deceptive and beauty does not last. But a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised."

Matt closes the sermon by telling the singles and college students to fix our eyes on Jesus and run with all we've got - occasionally looking to the left and right to see if there is anyone running beside you.

I really loved this message, and it has caused me to dwell on some issues -- one of which being the platonic friendships that I have with close guy friends. I can be a very outgoing person, and I fear that my personality is sometimes misconstrued or interpreted differently. My good friend Andrew constantly laughs at me for my frequent use of the adjective "perfect." I also think that it is important to remember boundaries and what is appropriate behavior for friendships. While I know that I would never cross the line, I still think that Matt's tactics are a great set of guidelines to follow.

What a wonderful day -- and now I've got lots of verses to absorb and let cultivate in my head - I love sermons like that! I pray that the focus of fulfilling God's calling in our lives remains at the forefront of our thoughts.

In His name,
Ailee

Protecting Our Roots

I will be the first to admit that I often struggle with keeping my priorities straight. It is sometimes more appealing to open up Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" and get absorbed in his humorous anecdotes as opposed to getting out my Bible and reading God's word. This is not a proud confession by any stretch of the imagination. However, after finishing "Protecting Your Roots", an Austin Stone podcast from 3/29/08, I feel more passionate about staying connected to the Lord through one-on-one time.

Matt Carter, the senior pastor at the Austin Stone, tells an interesting story about Sequoia Redwoods which are the world's tallest trees. In recent years, many of these massive have fallen after standing strong for centuries. After close examination, scientists deemed the cause for the collapse of the Redwoods to be the constant foot traffic of sightseers who walk past the giant figures on a regular basis. I find it unbelievable that the simple act of people treading the ground nearby the base of the trees would result in the fall of these enormous trees, which can be up to 250 feet tall.

The tie-in between the story about the trees and the message of the sermon is that without a strong, continuously growing relationship with the Lord, it is likely that the everyday foot traffic which we encounter in our daily happenings will eventually cause damage to our souls, subjecting us to ruinous consequences. In order to protect the root systems of the Sequoia Redwoods, nature conservationists created fences around the base of the trees which prevented individuals from trampling the ground above the roots. Similarly, we must build a defense around our hearts to protect us from Satan's attempts to lure us towards sin.

In John 15:5, Jesus proclaims, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing." This verse is exceptionally powerful, especially in the last few words of the verse in which Jesus reiterates what we already know to be true, that without Him, we can do nothing. We need to have a passion in our lives that drives us to stay emotionally in tune and in love with our Lord and Savior. While attending Church, listening to pastors preach and dissecting podcasts is very well indeed and can be very beneficial, we need to be rely on Jesus for the majority of our spiritual feeding. We need to remember to sit at Gods' feet and be close with Him -- in doing so, we will build a stronger fence around our faith, protecting us from the lure of sinful desires.

I pray that the significance of this seemingly rudimentary message reaches out and grabs you the way that it did to me. So often I feel satisfied by opening up my iTunes and playing a podcast, following along in my Bible and taking notes. But a relationship with Christ is so much more than sermons or messages, it is about connectedness -- something that can only truly blossom and grow when you sit down, pray, and worship the Lord.

"Be still and know that I am God." -- Psalm 46:10

In His name,
Ailee