day twenty
You Are
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,...
A while back I wrote about the call of ministry, comparing interceding for Passion to interceding for disabled artists, questioning what is the bigger thing I'm called to do. Interceding for thousands of college students or one isolated artist. I've come to realize that even though I thought I knew the answer - I really don't know the answer. And maybe it doesn't really matter.
But I do know this: I'll go wherever Jesus goes and follow Him wherever He takes me.
Somedays it's to Poquito and 12th in east Austin. In October it was to Chicago. Today it's to the Kyle HEB. Tomorrow it's to the Austin Stone.
...fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
There are a few people I know that don't really get the power of prayer, the Holy Spirit's intercession through us. Have never valued it, really, and never really understood it. Maybe even are afraid of it. As if we could read their minds. Which would be funny to me, if it weren't used so well by the enemy. What do I do with that? Do I allow this to hurt me?
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
The answer is no. The answer is to do what you are called to do, to do it joyfully. To love unconditionally, as Christ has loved you. To be for the people you pray for. You cannot let someone else's spiritual misunderstanding or insensitivity hurt you. That said, check your own heart and motives. If you are getting hurt by this, ask God to show you why and to heal you of the hurt you are carrying.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,..
I pray for a lot of individuals. Some who know me well, like Matt Carter, some who don't know me at all, like Leeland Mooring and Eddie Vedder. Some who know of me (and are scared - just kidding, seriously really kidding) like Pete Greig and Louie Giglio. Whether I'm in daily communication with them or will have no communication until heaven, the call is the same.
...who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
I don't need to prove, flaunt, or push myself through to some next level of self-advancement in intercession. It's just so laughable. Intercession is service. The best intercessor I know is invisible, sacrificial, extreme in his love. His name is HOLY SPIRIT. I want to be a radical intercessor like Him.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
When I make mistakes in my calling, which I do every single day, all I know to do is walk in daily repentance and humble myself. My prayers won't be effective if I don't. But more than that, I can't love Jesus how I want to if I don't. The GOD who was obedient to the point of death...I can't even obey until the point of 3 o'clock. Yet here is the grace, here is the river of mercy that I daily need and swim in. Where would I be without You?
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2: 1-11 (nkjv)
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,...
A while back I wrote about the call of ministry, comparing interceding for Passion to interceding for disabled artists, questioning what is the bigger thing I'm called to do. Interceding for thousands of college students or one isolated artist. I've come to realize that even though I thought I knew the answer - I really don't know the answer. And maybe it doesn't really matter.
But I do know this: I'll go wherever Jesus goes and follow Him wherever He takes me.
Somedays it's to Poquito and 12th in east Austin. In October it was to Chicago. Today it's to the Kyle HEB. Tomorrow it's to the Austin Stone.
...fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
There are a few people I know that don't really get the power of prayer, the Holy Spirit's intercession through us. Have never valued it, really, and never really understood it. Maybe even are afraid of it. As if we could read their minds. Which would be funny to me, if it weren't used so well by the enemy. What do I do with that? Do I allow this to hurt me?
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
The answer is no. The answer is to do what you are called to do, to do it joyfully. To love unconditionally, as Christ has loved you. To be for the people you pray for. You cannot let someone else's spiritual misunderstanding or insensitivity hurt you. That said, check your own heart and motives. If you are getting hurt by this, ask God to show you why and to heal you of the hurt you are carrying.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,..
I pray for a lot of individuals. Some who know me well, like Matt Carter, some who don't know me at all, like Leeland Mooring and Eddie Vedder. Some who know of me (and are scared - just kidding, seriously really kidding) like Pete Greig and Louie Giglio. Whether I'm in daily communication with them or will have no communication until heaven, the call is the same.
...who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
I don't need to prove, flaunt, or push myself through to some next level of self-advancement in intercession. It's just so laughable. Intercession is service. The best intercessor I know is invisible, sacrificial, extreme in his love. His name is HOLY SPIRIT. I want to be a radical intercessor like Him.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
When I make mistakes in my calling, which I do every single day, all I know to do is walk in daily repentance and humble myself. My prayers won't be effective if I don't. But more than that, I can't love Jesus how I want to if I don't. The GOD who was obedient to the point of death...I can't even obey until the point of 3 o'clock. Yet here is the grace, here is the river of mercy that I daily need and swim in. Where would I be without You?
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2: 1-11 (nkjv)