Idols

What is your idol? What is the most important thing in your life? What is the thing that you couldn’t live without? What if God took it away? Would you praise His name still, or would there be a waver in your footstep? I know we all would want to believe the best about ourselves, we think “Of course I would still praise God.” But are we just kidding ourselves? Is it a loved one? A girlfriend or boyfriend, a spouse, maybe a close friend? Your child? Perhaps it’s a job, a place where we feel comfortable and accepted. The point is what is that thing you are holding onto harder than you are holding onto God? Because whatever it is, one of two things will happen. Either we will give it up, fully submitting ourselves to God and to His Will, or He will strip us of it. I know this seems like a harsh word to bring, but I feel it must be spoken. If God has purposed us for a calling, if He has set aside good works for us to do for His Kingdom, then He will make us ready to do those things we are called to do. I am a firm believer that God can best work in us and through us when we are broken. If we are not broken, then we are able to function on our own, and can lapse into that habit of thinking “Oh, I have so much to do right now, I can spend time with God tomorrow.” I am just as guilty as anyone else of this, but God is breaking me and keeping me broken. And if we are in that broken state, there is nowhere for us to run but to God. Throughout the bible there is an analogy used, comparing us to pottery and God to the potter. God cannot make a vase or other beautiful work of art out of an already formed vase (us relying on ourselves). However, if the previous vase is broken, the fragments can be broken down and used to create something new and beautiful. We need to be broken so that God can build us up again into the man or woman we are supposed to be. So let me ask it again: what are you holding onto? What are you relying on? What are you clinging to, fearing that if you let go your world will fall apart? Will you let it go? Will you allow God to take it? I pray that we would be a broken people, crying out to God for our strength. In that place we will be made into a generation set apart for Him. In that place we will be made into servants, ready to do the will of our Master, wherever it may take us. We thank God for the good times, but rejoice in the hard times, in the suffering that produces an end result greater than anything we could imagine. I’m closing out this post with a song by Kutless. It’s the last track on their latest worship album, and I think it sums up everything pretty well. Listen to it, take the lyrics to heart, and let the meaning of the song be a holy hymn sung from the depths of your heart.

Follow Up

Ok, I thought this would be a pretty fitting follow up to my posts on the Majesty of God (or "How Big God is and How Small We Are").  I don't know how many people have seen Prince of Egypt, it's a great movie and I'd recomend it to everyone.  For those not in the know, its about Moses and brining the Israelites out of Egypt.  The scene of Moses talking to the burning bush is really well done and powerful, and I just wanted to share it since it nicely caps out this idea that we are so insignificant compared to the God we serve.  So, hopefully this works and you can watch it right here.  Pay attention right around 3:20:

The Majesty of God (Part 2)

Well, I’m back, and I’m here to finish out my post on God’s glory. It’s been awhile, but unfortunately school work and some technical difficulties have kept me from posting (my computer decided to play a fun little game of “Count the Number of Times I Show you the Blue Screen of Death…I lost track around 15). I am back now, so, let’s get down to work. Last time, we looked out into the universe to get a sense for its immensity and grandeur, and accordingly how small we are compared to the God who holds it all in the palm of His hand. For this post, I want to look at one specific passage in the Bible, delve into the meat of it, and see if all of you reading this have the same mind-blowing experience I did. The passage is Isaiah 6:1-5. I’d say it’s fairly well know, if you tack on a few more verses a lot of pastors/preachers/priests, etc, use it as an example of how we should be willing to be ready to do God’s will at all times. And we should! However, that’s not what we’re talking about today. No, today we’re going to do something that for some reason as Christians we really don’t seem to do it all that often. We’re going to look at the angels.

The Majesty of God (Part 1)

It has been a week or two since I last posted (you lose track of time so easily here), so this is going to be a two-part post. Heck, this post could probably go on into infinity since I’m trying to tackle the majesty of God, but I’ll try and stick to two. I’m splitting it up into two posts to come at it from two different directions: the first will be from the physical world around us, and the second will be biblical proofs of God’s majesty. So, let’s get this show on the road!

What's wrong with Prosperity?

Absolutely nothing. Until it becomes your gospel. Then we start running into some issues. There is an unfortunate trend taking place in America, and it’s nothing new. It’s called the Prosperity Gospel, and it’s probably in a bookstore near you. This perversion of the gospel is insidious because not only has it shifted our focus from God and the sacrifice of His Son, but also because it reinforces the “me first” ideal that has become so commonplace in today’s main stream culture. Now I don’t mean for this post to move into bashing territory, so readers please don’t see it this way, he just happens to be the biggest and easiest example currently. Joel Osteen is one of the biggest purveyors of the Prosperity Gospel in our country, with a slew of books under his belt preaching his message. What’s so wrong with it, you may ask, what’s the big deal? Well, let us tackle the problem together.

Welcome

Welcome to The Warrior-Poet Project.  This is my first of what I hope will be many posts.  My main goal with this blog is to bring glory to God.  I hope that what I post here will bless you in some way, make you think about something in a way that you haven't before, or just bring a smile to your face.  A little about myself.  I am engaged to the most beautiful girl in the world.  She is a continual and wonderful blessing that God has placed into my life.  I look forward to this summer for that day when we walk down the aisle and can spend the rest of our lives together.  I am also a First Classman, or senior, at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI).  For those who may not know, VMI is a small state military school nestled in Shenandoah Valley.  VMI has tried me, but it has been a wonderful furnace with which to strengthen my faith.  To paraphrase, VMI is "the road less taken".

The reason I decided to entitle this The Warrior-Poet Project is after a wonderful book that was given to me by my fiancée.  The book is called "God's Gift to Women" by Eric Ludy.  In it Ludy lays out how Christian men should live out their relationship with Christ and with women.  The book spoke deeply to my heart, and changed the way I looked at my own relationship with Christ and how I had been living my life.  Ludy also espouses the idea of being a Warrior-Poet, someone who is ready to defend others with the fierceness of a lion, and at the same time be able to show the love, compassion and tenderness that Christ showed to us.  I would encourage any guys reading this blog to get the book and read it, no matter where your relationship with God may be at this time.  For the ladies reading this, there is a counterpart to the book, written by Eric's wife Leslie entitled "Authentic Beauty".  They also have a slew of other books ranging in topics from dating, to marriage and the Gospel.  Here's their website if you're interested: Set Apart Life.

Well, I think that about does it for my introduction.  Hopefully I'll be back soon with some of the ideas/thoughts about God that have been percolating in my head recently.  Until then I leave you with this from Ephesians 3:20-21:

Now to Him who is able to do

immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,

according to His power that is at work within us,

to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus

throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Amen.