Zealous for Good

Sorry for my lack of posts lately...I went to the beach with my family and now I have started back school! Anyways, as I have been thinking about starting a new school year the Lord has definitely reminded me of a few things. Last night, while laying in bed, I pulled out my handy dandy iphone and clicked on the Bible App (Oh technology!). I guess the last time I used the Bible App (which isn't very often, I like to actually hold the real thing), it opened to 1 Peter 3.

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed.

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts

honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense

to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with

gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered

those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it

is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

(1 Peter 3: 13-17)

After reading this, it left me asking myself a few questions:

-Am I zealous for what is good? Really, am I? The dictionary defines zealous as devoted (it has been tranlated from Greek). Am I devoted for what is good? Do my motives promote good and the wellbeing of others? The Gospel is good, am I zealous for the Gospel to known?

-Do I know what I would say if someone asked me the reason for my hope? Do I live my life as if I have hope? If not, why would anyone even ask me about something that they haven't seen? The Gospel demands a response in our hearts, we are either living in joy of knowing the Gospel, or we have forgotten the Gospel. Knowing Christ can only produce hope and joy, so if we are not living in a way that would draw someone to ask us about why we hope, then we have forgotten Jesus- the very essence of our Joy.

Although there is so much to unfold in this particular scripture, Christ put these few questions on my heart. Especially as the new school year begins, I become weary, exhausted, and almost lazy in my pursuit of Jesus. When I become lazy in my pursuit, I forget why I hope. My prayer is that we cannot make it through the day without remembering the Gospel.

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Last night, I discovered a Paula Deen recipe that is really, really, really good. Click here if you want the recipe from Paula, but I will also show you the recipe...it is EASY!!

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons butter
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

-4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into wedges

-2 teaspoons salt

-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Preheat: 400

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Directions:

1. Cut potato lengthwise into wedges

2. Over medium high heat, melt butter. Remove pot from heat, stir in cinnamon.

 

 

3. Add the potato wedges to the butter and cinnamon and toss to combine. You can do this however you like, but I just put a few wedges in at a time. You can you a larger saucepan and mix all together.

 



4. Spread wedges evenly onto a cookie sheet. *Optional (I did this)- Drizzle leftover butter/cinnamon mix over the cookie sheet of wedges. Then, season with salt and pepper.

 

5. You are ready to pop this goodness into the oven! Simple and easy.

 

I baked Ranch Style Chicken from Pioneer Woman to go with it. This chicken is delicious, I mean it has bacon AND cheese on it. Click here for the recipe. I know, I know. Not the most healthy meal, but it was quite tasty. Don't worry though, we had broccoli too.

The Discipline of Difficulty

"An average view of the Christian life is that it means deliverance from trouble. It is deliverance in trouble, which is very different. 'He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High...the evil befall thee' -no plague can come nigh the place where you are at one with God.

If you are a child of God, there certainly will be troubles to meet, but Jesus says do not be surprised when they come. 'In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world, there is nothing for you to fear." Men who before they were saved would scorn to talk about troubles, often become 'fushionless' after being born again because they have a wrong idea of a Christian.

God does not give us overcoming life: He gives us life as we overcome. The strain is the strength. If there is no strain, there is no strength. Are you asking God to give you life and liberty and joy? He cannot, unless you will accept the strain. Immediately you face the strain, you will get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and tak the step, and God will give you to eat of the tree of life and you will get nourishment. If you spend yourself out physically, you become exhausted; but spend yourself spiritually, and you get more strength. God never gives strength for tomorrow, or the next hour, but only for the strain of the minute. The temptation is to face difficulties from a common-sense standpoint. The Christian is hilarious when he is crushed with difficulties because the thing is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God."

-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

This morning, I read the above excerpt and was very encouraged. Why is it we, as Believers, become anxious about cirumstances (some that haven't even occurred!), choose not to spend time reading Scripture, or choose to believe life should be easier? Has Christ not overcome the world? Has he not given us the Spirit of Truth, which glorifies Christ and delcares to us what is His? If we, as Believers, have been given everything that Christ is, through the Spirit of Truth, this should completely and wholly fill the very depths of our souls, leaving us longing for nothing more than Him.

I mean, think about it. What does Christ have? Righteousness-there is no need for us to bury ourselves in guilt. Love- we need to no longer live controlled by our bitterness, jealousy, or hatred. Peace- no more anxiety because His peace can live within us. Faithfulness- He will never leave us and pursues us always. Hope- we can rejoice that our hope is in a perfect person rather than imperfect relationships. Consistency- we live in a place filled with inconsistent relationships, jobs, futures, but we can trust that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Relationship with God- we no longer are lonely and can have a full relationship with God.

Christ has all this and more. If we are living in truth, then we have a fulfilled life that cleanses us from the despairs of a world ruled by darkness. The first part of John 16:13 says, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth..." We live by two ways: truth or lies. We either act upon the Truth that has been given to us by God, Himself, or we act upon lies that we have mistaken as truth. It is so easy to believe lies about ourselves, other people, and even about God- We have got to be able to decipher a lie from truth, and the only way to do so is by knowing God- because God is Truth.

How does someone learn to see the difference between counterfeit money and the real thing? Does he study counterfeit money and compare it to the real thing? No. He only studies the real thing. He learns how it looks and feels. He memorizes it, that way, when he comes across conterfeit, he can easily spot the deceit.In order to learn the difference between truth and lies, we have to study truth. We need to know truth, so we can recognize deceit.

We aren't promised a perfect world, a perfect life, perfect relationships, or a perfect job...otherwise Jesus wouldn't have needed to come. As believers we aren't immune from trials, but by God's perfect grace, He has given us everything we need to make it in this world. "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart: I have overcome the world." (John 16:33).