Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Summer, Friends, Future.
Since I have been back at school I have had plenty of time to reflect on God's mercy and the things that He has been teaching me this past summer.
First thing that comes to mind was the beginning of summer. For about the first month I had the worst period of doubt that I had ever had. I have done plenty of soul searching to find out what caused the despair but I still havent figured it out and may never know. Through this Christ has taught me to be more open with where I am at and the beauty of brokenness.
Second thing. God, in His mercy has caused me to grow great love for my friends in Tri-Cities. To be honest, that hasn't been there. I have been friends with the same friends for a long time but I only regularly prayed for 1 or 2 of them. God has shown me the people I dont pray about is because I dont have a deep love for them. This is a lack of belief in the Gospel that says that God is rescuing the lost and is constantly pointing everyone to Him. So if you are reading this. I am sorry. I havent loved you well. By God's grace that has hopefully changed after this summer because of the Gospel penetrating deeper into my heart.
Thirdly and finally. My hope for the future. My time this summer was spent with abundance of laughter. And many 1 on 1 conversations about where the Gospel is pressing on peoples hearts. My hope for the future is that a seriousness would come over myself and the people around me and in Tri-Cities and as a group we would seek the Lord togethter. I will end with a conversation about this with Marc Sims about this issue with growing deep community with my friends.
Marc: hmm, maybe that is something we need to be developing better
a community of prayer
Corey: I still love alot of our humor but (john) piper was right, there is something bone chilling about when you take God serious.
Something I definitely want to work on because when things suck real bad, i hurt for a day and joke for a long time until things feel better.
Marc: yea, we need to find that good balance of humor and seriousness
all the deep things are found in the serious weighty side of things
Corey: yeah, i mean laughter doesnt become full until you know where im at and youve prayed for me
otherwise i am masking around things instead of having joy at the root of my heart
Marc: yep.
Corey: Laughter is like sex. Write that book!
Marc: Lol, preach that sermon.
Corey:God makes it to be a wonderful thing but we just use it to numb.
ie. i just made you laugh and it was a good laugh. im sharing my heart with you and then laughter is as it should be
Marc:exactly
Corey: My sense of humor is in reverse.
God is revealing this to me continually and showing me where I need to repent. To drink deeply of grace in the hard parts of my life and share the joy of His mercy then laugh because my joy is complete in Him. This is what I am praying for us. That the Gospel will become real to us. And that we would all get real and our love for one another would grow as it grows for Christ.
First thing that comes to mind was the beginning of summer. For about the first month I had the worst period of doubt that I had ever had. I have done plenty of soul searching to find out what caused the despair but I still havent figured it out and may never know. Through this Christ has taught me to be more open with where I am at and the beauty of brokenness.
Second thing. God, in His mercy has caused me to grow great love for my friends in Tri-Cities. To be honest, that hasn't been there. I have been friends with the same friends for a long time but I only regularly prayed for 1 or 2 of them. God has shown me the people I dont pray about is because I dont have a deep love for them. This is a lack of belief in the Gospel that says that God is rescuing the lost and is constantly pointing everyone to Him. So if you are reading this. I am sorry. I havent loved you well. By God's grace that has hopefully changed after this summer because of the Gospel penetrating deeper into my heart.
Thirdly and finally. My hope for the future. My time this summer was spent with abundance of laughter. And many 1 on 1 conversations about where the Gospel is pressing on peoples hearts. My hope for the future is that a seriousness would come over myself and the people around me and in Tri-Cities and as a group we would seek the Lord togethter. I will end with a conversation about this with Marc Sims about this issue with growing deep community with my friends.
Marc: hmm, maybe that is something we need to be developing better
a community of prayer
Corey: I still love alot of our humor but (john) piper was right, there is something bone chilling about when you take God serious.
Something I definitely want to work on because when things suck real bad, i hurt for a day and joke for a long time until things feel better.
Marc: yea, we need to find that good balance of humor and seriousness
all the deep things are found in the serious weighty side of things
Corey: yeah, i mean laughter doesnt become full until you know where im at and youve prayed for me
otherwise i am masking around things instead of having joy at the root of my heart
Marc: yep.
Corey: Laughter is like sex. Write that book!
Marc: Lol, preach that sermon.
Corey:God makes it to be a wonderful thing but we just use it to numb.
ie. i just made you laugh and it was a good laugh. im sharing my heart with you and then laughter is as it should be
Marc:exactly
Corey: My sense of humor is in reverse.
God is revealing this to me continually and showing me where I need to repent. To drink deeply of grace in the hard parts of my life and share the joy of His mercy then laugh because my joy is complete in Him. This is what I am praying for us. That the Gospel will become real to us. And that we would all get real and our love for one another would grow as it grows for Christ.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Affection Stirrers (Part 1)
I haven't blogged in a super long time. I figured it was about time to pick it back up.
I've been in Spokane for the past week with an abundance of alone time and I have been trying to decipher what stirs my affections for Christ and I have found interesting things.
By "affections" I simply mean inclinations of the heart or mind. What inclines me to think about and meditate on Christ. I could do the obvious "christian" things that apply to everybody but I don't feel like it. Ill name a few of them.
Prayer, Bible reading, Worship Music, Communion, Fellowship, Repentance.
The one that I have been thinking about lately that stirs my affections is....
Sad songs.
It is very strange. Something about a good sad song makes me think about Christ. I have realized that I really love two types of sad songs in particular. Type one is just good-old-fashioned sad. The type where the artist is so broken you almost feel uncomfortable listening to it. You listen to it and you think "ouch". The reason this is because by understanding the Gospel, you come to really appreciate brokenness. It is one thing that EVERYONE relates to. I listen to these songs and think of how thankful I am that I will experience this in my life but I will have a lasting joy through it.
The second type is what John Mayer would call "sad hope". The hope of redemption after love-loss. I believe that this is the human condition. This is the story of humanity. Idols fail us and we need redemption. Jesus is the ultimate redeemer and ultimately what "sad hope" is hoping for even if the person doesn't know it.
Jesus is the ultimate redemption after love-loss.
Here is an example of Type 1 and 2 that has been in my head all day long.
I've been in Spokane for the past week with an abundance of alone time and I have been trying to decipher what stirs my affections for Christ and I have found interesting things.
By "affections" I simply mean inclinations of the heart or mind. What inclines me to think about and meditate on Christ. I could do the obvious "christian" things that apply to everybody but I don't feel like it. Ill name a few of them.
Prayer, Bible reading, Worship Music, Communion, Fellowship, Repentance.
The one that I have been thinking about lately that stirs my affections is....
Sad songs.
It is very strange. Something about a good sad song makes me think about Christ. I have realized that I really love two types of sad songs in particular. Type one is just good-old-fashioned sad. The type where the artist is so broken you almost feel uncomfortable listening to it. You listen to it and you think "ouch". The reason this is because by understanding the Gospel, you come to really appreciate brokenness. It is one thing that EVERYONE relates to. I listen to these songs and think of how thankful I am that I will experience this in my life but I will have a lasting joy through it.
The second type is what John Mayer would call "sad hope". The hope of redemption after love-loss. I believe that this is the human condition. This is the story of humanity. Idols fail us and we need redemption. Jesus is the ultimate redeemer and ultimately what "sad hope" is hoping for even if the person doesn't know it.
Jesus is the ultimate redemption after love-loss.
Here is an example of Type 1 and 2 that has been in my head all day long.
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