Skylar's Blog & Podcast

There's an iconic spot in Tucson, AZ. As people drive into our beloved city they are greeted, whether they like it or not, by this certain landmark. Now, this spot has no historical value, neither is it a majestic piece of architecture. If you were to see this place you wouldn't think it was impressive or iconic. In fact, it's not a place we would like to go. However, it is something that we cannot avoid as we enter Tucson. This things is: the sewage treatment plant. For any of you who have driven down the I-10 you have endured the striking aroma put off by this building. It's as if Tucson is spreading its arms wide open to place our noses right into its armpit.

Did you know that you have an aroma, too? It's not just that smell you have when you haven't changed your underwear in a week, or the one after you've been hanging out in the locker room for too long. The aroma I am talking about has to do with how you live your life. Think about all of the ways you interacted w/ people over the last week, go ahead think about it... If you had to place an aroma to how you treat people, what would it be? Would it be a sweet aroma? A sour aroma? If it were an aroma, how would people react when they smelled it as you walked down the hall? 

This last week we focused on the second part of Jesus' great command in Matthew 22:39: Love Others. And we saw that how we love other people is a gauge of where we are at with God (1 John 4:20-21). However, our love for others is not just a gauge, it's something even deeper:

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15)...

There are so many important days in our lives. Our first kiss, graduating, getting married, etc. Going back to the very beginning of our lives there are so many things that had to happen first before all of these other firsts: namely, our first steps. Few of us remember those first attempts at walking, but if we could I'm sure we'd remember frustration after frustration. Seeing other people do this incredible thing called, "walking" and yet we can't even stand up.

When we talked about mission we began with something that seems very simple: love God. However, we all know it's not that simple now. Maybe you've had a relationship with Jesus for a long time and you're frustrated because you see other people doing these incredible things for Jesus or who have this incredible connection with Him and you feel like you're still just trying to "stand up." Or, maybe you have just met Jesus and you're just overwhelmed by the idea of God. Either way, we must see our mission not just as something to aim at, but as steps.

If a baby decided it was over trying to walk, and it was moving on to jumping, what would happen? Disaster! We must be content where we're at right now, and learn to love God as He has given us the ability in this moment. If you want more, if you want to grow, GREAT! God has not put this in your heart in vain. Let's seek God together, and let's join the father in Mark's Gospel in crying out: "I believe; help my unbelief (Mark 9:24)."

What I'm getting at is this: God created our world in a specific way where only one way, only one lifestyle, and the worship of only one God will truly satisfy and keep us. Just as a house does not have a choice of where the foundation is laid and which slab it will rest upon, neither do we have a choice as to what foundation is the only proper one to build a life on. No matter how hard we try to berate God or prove to ourselves and others God's way is superstitious and silly, when the dust settles there is only one solid foundation: "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24)" "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).'"

I say these things because so many of us are trying to argue away the Bible and Christian doctrine. We try to find loop holes and contradictions for many different reasons. However, God has made it clear through His followers, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)." That phrase, "...breathed out by God..." is the part we should all pay close attention to. Because this phrase is scandalous, and it flies in the face of all of our attempts to explain away God's truth as revealed in His Word. This phrase says, "The Bible you hold in your hand, or that is collecting dust on a shelf somewhere, is my divine revelation to you, and to reject it is to reject Me." I hope we will all take hold of the solid foundation that is Christ Jesus as revealed by His Spirit and His Word, and we will find hope and joy as we trust the author of all creation.

The first is an inherent understanding of freedom. However, freedom, in my opinion, is tough to nail down. The obvious answer would seem to be: freedom is the ability to do whatever you want. However, I think this is a very surface level definition of freedom. I say this because there are millions of people who can do whatever they want all over the world, but if we were to take a closer look many of these people don't seem free to enjoy those things their freedoms have allowed them. Shouldn't freedom ensure enjoyment?

I don't believe we truly understand freedom. We see it at it's very surface, and see that it is good. However, many of us have not truly tasted freedom. I say this because of what Jesus says:

But what "truth" is Jesus talking about? He enlightens us:

It is the truth that we are enslaved, whether we would like to admit it or not, and the only escape route is the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The difference between a free person and an enslaved person is their admittance of this and trust in Jesus. No Jesus, no freedom.

This week we spoke of a connection w/ God as the source of truth and righteousness. This means, if we want to know the truth and live rightly we must be connected w/ God. The same principle applies w/ our freedom. If we want to be free, if we want to truly be satisfied w/ and enjoy our life, we must be connected w/ the truth of Jesus' redemptive work.

At the beginning I cited a quote we all know: "freedom isn't free" and I gave you the first thing that stood out to me. Here is the second: freedom always cost something, and this case is no different. Our freedom cost God dearly, and though it seems as if it costs us nothing, it actually costs us everything. Paul says this:

What is the point of all of this? Our freedom rests in Jesus' saving work. What is the cost? Everything.

Isn't it amazing how one day of hell can make you forget about 364 days of God's presence? I have been feeling this way for the last couple days. As I reflected on my time at CFC I began to think about how I have failed and I have fallen short. However, this morning something hit me. Notice the focus of my disappointment: it's me. Why is this so important? Because my ministry has nothing to do with me. This hit me as I was reading Romans 5 this morning, read along:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:1-5

What is the first thing you try to do when you are feeling like a failure? If you're like me, then you search for something to reaffirm your abilities. However, no matter what you do, almost all of us seek for a place to place our feet so we can stand up again. Imagine walking along the beach on those slippery, moss covered rocks. You carefully pick your footing step after step. However, you finally miss the mark and you step on a super slippery one and you fall. Your next move is to find something to put your feet on that you can stand up and move on. Paul is giving us ground to stand on in our failure and in our success, read the second sentence again: "Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand..." It is God's grace on which we stand. It is His goodness, His power, and His sovereign control over everything that allows us to stay firm and endure. That is why Paul says we can "...rejoice in our sufferings..." Because as we endure and suffer we learn to lean more and more on the only sure footing out there: God's grace. So, if you feel like a failure today in any area of your life, if you feel like you've fallen short in any way, then you are blessed. Because God is inviting you to plant your foot firmer on His sustaining eternal grace. Join me, as I journey towards planting myself in the center of our God's goodness.

Competition doesn't seem like such a bad thing. Many people find it fun, and as a great way to bond with others. However, competition has an ugly side named: comparison. Because humans can be so obsessed with being the best we will logically fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to those we are "competing" against.

Maybe you don't think comparing yourself to other people is a bad thing. Maybe you feel like every time you compare yourself you end up feeling better about who you are. Why? Because you think you win. However, the act of comparing ourselves to other people is the most subtle cancer to our relationship with God. Why? Because when we compare ourselves we are taking God's place in our lives.

Think about it: whose right is it to judge other people? God! Whose right is it to judge you; your looks, your personality, your quirks, your strengths, and your weaknesses? God! When we begin to put ourselves or other people down with our comparisons we are playing right into Satan's hands. And not only that! We are robbing ourselves of the ultimate joy: to let God delight in us. Read w/ me Zephaniah 3:17

Did you see it? Do you see what God is doing for you? Question: when do you believe God is doing this? When do you believe He is not doing this? The answer: ALL THE TIME! You are a treasure of God's. However, we so often focus on what He's given others that we miss the rich blessings He has poured out onto us. God is saying something, can you hear Him? Here it is: "You are the best!" Please Read Isaiah 43:1-4 and meditate on this and Zephaniah 3:17 and know how much God loves you.

This doesn't make total sense at first, but think about it: when battling fatigue & anxiety does fighting and activity offer us the victory, or is it resting and daring to be still. What about disease? Many of you have had surgery to have something fixed or taken out. What would have happened if you decided not to rest under the surgeon's knife? There are other scenarios that come to mind, but I think we get the gist.

One of my favorite stories of the Bible takes place in Exodus. The Israelites have been allowed to leave Egypt after many years of horrendous slavery, and just as they have tasted free air the Egyptians begin chasing after them. All of a sudden the Israelites end up at the edge of a HUGE sea, and are stuck between one of the biggest rocks and hardest places. They begin to call out to Moses, outwardly expressing their fear and questioning why God would bring them out of slavery to die, and then God answers through Moses:

again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

Exodus 14:13-14

Does it take more courage to stand up or to be still and trust the hand of another? I would wager the second. If we are the one's taking the initiative then we are in control and we, at least according to us, can control the outcome. In my opinion, the first kind of courage, where our trust is put in ourselves, is a cheap imitation form of courage. It is a shadow of real courage. Real courage is kneeling in front of another, admitting we have little to no power over our circumstances, crying out for help, and then trusting the situation with them. This is the courage God calls us to. Read w/ me Psalms 46:10:

What happens we courageously still ourselves in front of God? He does the miraculous and gives us the victory. However, the victory isn't what we expected. Our victory is not always winning. John tells us what our victory is:

1 John 5:4

We may not get the outcome we desperately wanted, but instead we get something better, something eternal. This something cannot be breached and it cannot be beat. If we will dare to be courageously still in front of the God who is in control of all things we will be rewarded with a peace beyond understanding because we are resting in Him. In the words of an infamous actor: "Winning!"