Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Weather - Seasons - Action!?

How's the weather been for you all?

No idea why my mind has been wondering all around the place lately.

The Spring brings me peace. I think I understand what it is. Life will bring about change. Some will experience change more often than others. Being in The Salvation Army, change is bound to occur. Big change.

We've moved from Sandusky to Salem to Painesville to Canton. We've been so blessed! Especially blessed to stay in NEOSA. Going back to visit Salem and Painesville is nice to do. I really enjoy it. It just is not the same now, however. God has called me elsewhere, and I went. I enjoy going back to visit, but it will never be the same. Life, for me, has changed. And with it, so have I.

The spring, however, is the same. The first rain with semi-warm weather - the snow melting everywhere - the smell of winter's departure!! FINALLY!! It's all so familiar. The scent, the rain, everything.

God loves to give us new life! He loves to be our redeemer! As the trees go in season, so do we. Spring - God gives us new life, restoring the joy of His salvation. Summer - our faith and trust in the LORD flourish and shine brightly. FALL - we begin to come down off of our mountain top experience, and begin to face hard times. Winter - our endurance is totally tested, and trials and temptations weigh heavy on us. We may feel alone, we may feel like God has deserted us. But sure enough, the LORD is faithful to His promises - and the Spring is here in no time.

Praise God, you people who read my blog. :)
Praise Him! Dude, worship the LORD our God with your life.
He has plans for your future. That is, He has plans for you for when that time comes. Right now, however, this time has come. He has called you to something today. I can only encourage you to seek first the LORD. I have no idea what you are to be doing.

Sick of 'the church' being shallow?
Do you have questions as to why God isn't found in 'Christians' today?

Do something about it in your life. If you can live in the way God wants you to, He will surely use you to inspire the rest.

I used to love talking about revolution. Let me tell you - revolution is something that every church wants, it is something that every individual Christ Follower needs! Holiness is a huge aspect of revolution happening. Becoming selfless servants, wanting no recognition. This is where revolution is begun.

Instead of anticipating a change in the church, if you are one who would be excited about it, let me be the one to challenge you not to wait until your pastor or parent does something about it - do something about it, yourself!

Colossians 1:28-29: "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy which so powerfully works in me."

James 1:5, 22:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should as God, who gives generously to all without finding fault(HE WILL NOT RESENT YOUR ASKING) , and it will be given to him."
"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves, but do what it says."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"the way god wants you to..." what does that mean?

Allison Ward said...

Thanks for this Chris. I stumbled across your blog tonight and I'm glad I did!
Blessings!
Allison

Christopher Hinzman said...

Travis,

I believe that God desires for all people to come to Salvation (2 Peter 3:9), and that He desires for and commands us who have accepted His gift to live perfect, even as God is perfect (Matthew 5:48, 1 John 3:3).

Whole sanctification - to live the way God wants you to - to live continually without sin.

This 'holiness' is what God desires in each of us. The Bible says we are to live in this way. There is much more to understand about whole sanctification than this.

(Do not take me as saying that only perfect people are saved people. If you have claimed Christ as your Saviour, as only you and God could tell, you have salvation. Whole sanctification in a saved persons life is like the action of turning the key in a car, and driving it. No longer do you merely 'own' the car, but you are now experiencing it in the way it was meant to be. Whole sanctification/holiness is much more than 'having' salvation, or this new life, it is experiencing this life in the way it is meant to be experienced.)