Humility: True Greatness by C. J. Mahaney

Humility: True Greatness

I’ve always enjoyed reading C. J. Mahaney, that to say I’ve only read his book “Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Focus” and I thoroughly enjoyed that, reading it a few times.

C. J. Mahaney starts off with an introduction, fairly short about pride being one of the most deadly sins. Pride is serious, judging by the way he talks about the importance of getting rid of it. Especially when he says “The real issue here is not if pride exists in your heart; it’s where pride exists and how pride is being expressed in your life”. He then encourages you to change the way you pray about it. Instead of praying “’I was proud in that situation’ and appealing for His forgiveness, {we should pray} ‘Lord, in that moment, with that attitude, and that action, I was contending for supremacy with You. That’s what it was all about. Forgive me.’” Pride is something serious, not some joke. How do you get rid of it?

Ending your day – “the end of each day offers us a unique opportunity to cultivate humility and weaken pride, as well as to sense God’s pleasure. How? By reviewing our day and carefully assigning all glory to God for the grace we’ve experienced that day.” Of course this is a practice that should happen through out the day as well. People encourage you, so then you have the opportunity to redirect the glory to God. Thank them, and then quietly give the glory to God.

The idea of God’s self-sufficiency really stuck out to me. “Apart from God, I cannot exist. Apart from me, God does exist”. There is absolutely no way apart from God that we can exist. God leaves, we die. Not that God would leave, but I think that produces a good picture. He is like a life-support system. We are completely and utterly dependant on Him, so to think that we can do anything on our own is completely and utterly absurd. I need water, God created it so I need God to have water. Same with food, or things to make shelter, and the same goes with the beating heart inside of me.

Evidences of Grace

When confronting someone, you need to do it in love right? And if you angry at them, its very hard to do. So, first acknowledge attributes about them that God has been working in. Develop a love for them so that you can confront them and love them, and have a ‘righteous anger’ about the sin they need fixing in their lives. Don’t forget about the log in yours though.

This book was a real challenge to read with the thoughts of “do I have this in my own life?” Or “what do I need to fix?” It is always a constant challenge to read books like these, especially since I went through a time in my life where I was prideful, yet I didn’t know. I find it very disappointing when people see pride in your life but don’t tell you, then later complain about it. This happened to me, and it hurts. You cannot fix something that you are not aware of. There was a brief section in this book about the importance of accountability. This is something I want, and although I have many friends who check up on me every once in a while, I don’t have the consistency of someone asking me all the time. This is hard to get since I’m moving around a lot with school, work, home etc. However, its something that I look for daily, and part of the reason I’m very open. Letting people know that I’m approachable about anything makes it easier for people to have the courage to come and tell me that I need to fix something in my life, without worry of me biting their head off. Below are some notes I took on the book; parts that stood out to me the most

Daily Ideas

1. Reflect on the wonder of the cross

Beginning your day

1. Acknowledge your dependence on God and your need for God.

2. Express your gratefulness to God

3. Practice spiritual disciplines (Prayer, Devotions, Worship)

4. Seize your commute time to memorize and meditate on scripture

5. Cast your cares upon

Special focus items

1. Study the attributes of God

a. The incommunicable attributes – those which no human reflection or human illustration can be found. Attributes he doesn’t share with us.

i. Infinite

ii. Omnipresent

iii. Self-sufficient

2. Study the doctrines of grace

a. Election, calling, justification, perseverance

3. Study the doctrine of sin

a. “how often do you think about the fact that you carry around in you a deadly companion?” Kris Lungard

Characteristics of anyone who’s truly humble before God (From Habakkuk)

1. Prayerful before God

2. Waiting on God

3. Rejoicing in God

VBS

Working in VBS this past week was a real test of both patience, knowledge of God, strength, and speed.
Patience – I had a group of little boys, grades 3-4. All of whom I love dearly! They are FANTASTIC! But even fantastic little boys push the limits. I dealt with fist fights, stubbornness, bad attitudes, complaining etc. however, I also saw love, obedience, JOY. The best part was seeing them learning songs and worship, and learning memory verses. Sure they did those things to make us leaders happy, but those verses stick to them the rest of their lives. You also turn around the corner and see them watching you. The test of your life for Christ. They are watching you, kind of like God is always watching you, except for the fact that these kids want to be just like you. Knowledge of God? Answering tough questions for kids, in a ‘kid’ way. not in a ‘I just came from a year of bible college and can give you 50 different words for salvation’ type thing. Strength? Spiritually and physically. Aside from all the little ones jumping all over you because you are “super strong”, you have to deal with your own walk. Being poured into spiritually is just as important as pouring out into the kids. And speed? Well, lets just say that kids have little patience, so everything needs to be done good and done NOW! That, or they ask you 15 million times to do it in the ‘are we there yet’ type attitude.
Ministry also has an improve aspect that people don’t really tell you about. There are times when you have to teach a bible lesson because someone is sick – the testing of your knowledge of the scriptures, or even times you need to be quick on your feet in asking kids questions or just being plain old ‘silly’.
Lastly, is the last day of camp. Rewarding in many times – for the first instance, you get to finally see your bed and rest, and the kids are BEGGING to stay. It is also rewarding to hear if even ONE kid turns their life to the Lord. Relationships are built, and although you may forget the small details, the kids don’t. they remember them, and sometimes it changes their lives all together. All this…

For HIS glory

A Question, with an answer

I'm currently reading through John Pipers "Don't waste your life". It is very good read. Today I stumbled upon something that i want to share with you. A simple a paragraph from this book

"Sometimes people say that they cannot believe that, if there is a God, he would take interest in such a tiny speck of reality called humanity on Planet Earth. The universe, they say, is so vast, it makes man utterly insignificant. why would God have bothered to created such a microscopic speck called the earth and humanity and then get involved with us?

Beneath this question is a fundamental failure to see what the universe is about. It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. ..."

John Piper "Don't Waste Your Life" pg 34

Wow. Just think about that. there isn't much need for an explanation. Keep in mind where your focus is supposed to be. It should be on the greatness of God.

All for HIS glory

Psalm 27:4

If you could have ANYTHING in the world what would it be? would it make you happy forever?

Today in church, I was privileged to serve in Higher ground and witness the faith of a Child. Something I wish I had never forgotten. Something I so wish that I had. However, God had another reason for me being there, ultimately to bring Him glory. The title of this blog is Psalm 27:4 which says

"One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple"

If you could have ANYTHING in the world what would it be? would it make you happy forever?

David wrote this psalm, and his focus was clearly NOT on anything of this world. I'll admit that when I answered this question with my TRUE heart, it wasn't "that i may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple". Where is your focus. Is your automatic reaction to those questions "Jesus Christ, and living with Him FOREVER?" or is it "t.v, sports, family, food, entertainment, etc." Think about it. Why do we always have to be reminded of the MAGNIFICENT HOLINESS OF GOD? If its SO amazing it should receive our UNDIVIDED WORSHIP! Nothing should hinder our desire to meditate on God's word, and serve HIM. What gets in the way? I can guarentee that at LEAST (and i say at LEAST) 90% of people, if not more, can probably say that facebook, email, or even social lives, get in the way of Christ being the focus. This isn't true of everyone, everyone has their own idols in their lives they need to deal with. Being an undivided worshipper, calls for another thing. your complete attention. not just whenever you feel like it, but ALWAYS and FOREVER. David had it right. - he recognized God's glory and wanted NOTHING more than that. He could have said 'MANY things i ask of you' but instead, he said 'ONE thing'. NOTHING compares to Christ. And david understood that. So ask yourself again

If you could have ANYTHING in the world what would it be? would it make you happy forever?

Answer honestly. then decide what you need to do to change it.

For HIS glory

Unquenchable Worshipper

Just recently I read a book by Matt Redman called "The Unquenchable Worshipper". I thought I'd share a few thoughts from it.

“Worship is meant to be an encounter and exciting meeting place where love is given and received in an unscripted manner”

One thought that stood out to me while reading the first chapter of The Unquenchable Worshipper. It says

“Enter the unquenchable worshipper. This world is full of fragile loves-love that abandons, love that fades, love that divorces, love that is self-seeking. But the unquenchable worshipper is different. From a heart so amazed by God and His wonders burns a love that will not be extinguished. It survives any situation and lives through any circumstance. It will not allow itself to be quenched, for that would heap insult on the love it lives in response to.”

At the very beginning of this book, it got my attention. Helping me understand that the passion I should have for Jesus should not be able to be extinguished. While reading the Chris Tomlin book "The Way I Was Made" a few years back, I still remember one quote that said “when you’re worshipping God, you will risk looking uncool”. David danced in his palace, throwing aside his image, yet he was praising God! Nothing else mattered.

I really related to what Matt had to say about being an undone worshipper and talking about his tendonitis being a reminder of Christ. I too have tendonitis so I can see how much of an annoyance it can be, but like Matt, whenever it starts to hurt, it causes me to pray to God and ask Him for strength. It’s as if God is using that to provide a complete dependency on Him, something I know He deserves. Many times I’ve asked God why I’ve felt a calling so strong to be in music ministry in some ways, and yet felt the pain in my wrists. All along these thoughts, God was using this to break me down, to give Him complete control of my life. During this time, things ‘weren’t going my way’ and I wrote this…

Broken…I run to you

On my hands and knees I bow

Facedown…in awe of You

Surrendering my life

So who am I, that You love me?

So who am I, that You died for me?

I Give it all to You, my hands and feet are yours

I Give it all to You, all my life, take over

Humbled…by Your grace

By Your mercy and Your love

Thirsting…for more of You

An unquenchable desire

In the chapter about the unstoppable worshipper, there were many examples used by Matt. One being david and goliath. David, being small and just a boy, took on Goliath, a really tall big man, and in doing so, did not let Goliath hinder his worship to God. Paul didn’t either. In prison, asking for more boldness to preach the gospel, the very reason he was sitting there. Finally, Jesus, not letting the cross get in the way of His worship to His Father. We all have our ‘goliaths’ in our lives that we need to overcome. God gives us the strength to overcome trials so we can bring Him worship. This cycle seems to make God conceited. However, He isn’t. Sam Storms says “Christ’s self love is the most loving thing imaginable. He wants us to love Him so He gives us the most amazing thing imaginable: Himself. Giving us anything less would make Him conceited, however He’s loving us pre-eminently by not withholding more amazing things”.

The chapter on the ‘unnoticed worshipper’ clarified a lot of things. Mainly bringing to importance of invisibility on stage. Chris Tomlin stated something along the lines of ‘we are merely there to provide a way for people to worship their God’. However, Redman doesn’t only refer to being on stage and being a distraction, but also our heart offstage. How do we react when someone else is leading that’s not quite ‘our’ style? Do we put in our whole heart? Pride is a BIG issue when it comes to being a worshipper, because we don’t have anything to do with the worship.

God has his ways of speaking to each and everyone of us. He has his ways of showing us that He loves us. He has is ways of bringing Himself the ultimate glory He could receive. Be happy you are a part of His plan.

All for HIS glory!

Age 4 excursion

Many people and friends have asked me why I believe in God. Apart from all the 'generic' reasons - because He is AWESOME! - because He chose me - because His grace is irresistible - i was raised in a christian home (SUPER crucial) - i've always referred back to one incident in my life that i can remember very scarcely, but God was TRULY in that place, and provided one of the BIGGEST answers to prayer ever in my life! Thanks to godly parents, I'm alive and well today, all because of their faith, hence why I said above that being raised in a christian home was SUPER crucial. Ok. to the story.

Around the age of 4 (sorry if I'm wrong :P), I got a form of the flu. A symptom being the swelling of internal organs. The organ of mine that decided to swell was my heart. It didn't stop there either - it continued to swell until it eventually ripped, leaving me in line for surgery within the month, or it wouldn't be good, we'll just leave it at that. Thats what the doctors said. Over the next month, my parents prayed very hard, like they always do, the prayer warriors that they are, and at my return to the doctors room, they wanted to make sure that they didn't open me up to find everything was OK. I can remember sitting in a room with those suction cup readers on my chest, telling my mom i was scared they would hurt when they'd come to pull them off. I was not aware in the least bit that i had an abnormal heart condition. The doctors came back in, and by the grace of God I don't have a scare on my chest. My heart was healed miraculously, and I walked out of there, never to have to worry about it again.

The reason that this story is always a booster for me to pursue God that much more, is simple. Something happened that we didn't expect to happen, and although I don't remember much about that time, ignorance doesn't give me any excuse to acknowledge the fact that God did something amazing in my life at that time. I'm so grateful that He chose to save me from that, and that He listened to my mom and dad. They are the warriors behind this, and I'm super thankful that they are my Mamma G and Daddy Goossen as so many of you know them by!

All this, For HIS Glory!

First Post

Well. This a first for me. thought I'd give this a shot. Maybe something that I could do from now on, to share with you what God is doing in my life, the life of others, and ultimately for His glory, acknowledging HIS doing. Over the weeks to come, hopefully i'll get this figured out! For now, that is all!!