Called to

Hey Guys,
Wow- What a start to a week. I started a biblestudy with a friend of mine last night so that was a great way to start off a week. Jacob and I are going through Colossians and its definitely been a stretch on both of us since we like to debate our views. We're great friends so its no big deal, but its been interesting to see just how much God's been teaching us through each other and through the Word already. Hey Guys, if ya would, please be praying for a little guy (well he's not that little 4th grade) in Indiana. He's going through the same brain surgery I went through in August. The whole nightmare of a week of observation and then the surgery was enough to make a 15 year old dream about it for months afterwards, I dont know what its going to do to Matthew.

1st Corinthians 1:26-29 26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him.

Called... called to what?! Called to dinner, called to lunch? called to freedom? Yeah okay, now we're getting somewhere when we say we were called to freedom. (dinner and lunch I'm not exactly hungry for anymore) What the Author -Paul- is talking about here is being called to Christ. I shout out freedom because when we ask God to wash away our sins, there is freedom from eternity in hell. You have eternity no matter what guys, what you might not get is freedom is only yours if you are "called."

Not many of us are are wise, yeah thats really not a surprise. I have alot of wise cracks, but as far as being WISE?! Think AGAIN. Being Influential? The person that can influence just one person in their lifetime for God has the greatest gift in the world given to them. But whether they take that opertunity is up to them. Of these 2 things God has to work overtime on us to get it straight. Something he is completely willing to do, but something that is hard to take.

The next phrase completely baffles me. I dont get how God can take the foolishness of a Prostitue, and then a woman that had had five husbands and use it. When the "godly" (sorry they werent godly, they were hypocritical) were throwing stones at them and shunning them Jesus loved them and used their stories to teach us how to live our lives. Doesnt make sense, but then again, what about Grace and mercy makes sense? "The weak things of the world to shame the wise." The disciples (sorry folks we do the same thing... so dont be sittin back and just reading this next part) wanted to know who was going to be "first" so-to-speak in Heaven and Jesus just looked at them and said "the Children." OUCH! What a bite of humble pie. God works in some mysterious and WEIRD ways.
But the thing He's been teaching me this past week is

Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord

To boast only for what Christ has done in our lives... because thats the only thing worth boasting for. What else can we say but "thank you Lord"?
See ya
Cass

Unfair God

Hey Guys,
Life is good. I've actually had a pty relaxing weekend, so thats a huge blessing. I've started another prayer group so thats been an experience and a half. We'll just see where God leads that!

Psalms 55:2 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain youI just found out something that tears at my heart.

Its something I dont want to happen, its something that although I believe and trust God will sustain me- get me through it- Its a hard thing for me to comprehend just casting this care, all my cares, at the throne of Christ and leaving them there.How can we trust an invisible Being? How can we know that closing our eyes and praying about it means that God hears our cries and He's there... He told us He'd be there no matter where we were.

Psalms 139:5 "You (God) both precede and follow me...."

Not once did Noah (built the Ark) actually see the face of God here on Earth, and yet he managed to follow an INVISIBLE God's instructions and save 2 of every unclean animal and 7 of the clean animals and his family. (Genesis starting in chapter 6)Prayers might not seem answered, it might seem like "closing our eyes and folding our hands" only goes as high as the roof and drops, but God says in Proverbs 15:29,

"He (God) hears the prayers of the righteous"

To Cast my cares at the feet of Christ most likely wont happen the first time and then its all over with. I found out the possibility of some pretty harsh news 3 weeks ago and its been on the forefront of my mind every day and I keep on coming back, sometimes moment by moment crying out to God to take this care that can become such a burden. I want to scream out to God that He cant do this without me, that he cant manage this without me first putting my ideas in along with Him, but thats just denying God His right to be in control of everything in my life. Seems unfair at first, but God has a better plan and my life makes more sense when HE gives the answers.Dont worry about anything, pray about everything... and start realizing that God is better at His job that you are.
See ya around, know that you are on my mind and in my prayers
Cass

Rabonai

Hey There,
Oh Wow! God's really been working in some amazing ways around here. Although they arent that easy, it's great to look back in hine's sight and see it all. I used to add to this every other day, and now its more or less when ever I can, and that's pretty bad. But man! If you could only see on the other side of this computer screen what God has been doing, you'd understand why I cant be on as much. I went from recoverying from a hemispherectomy (they shut off my entire left hemisphere-hence the name) to 8 classes in about 4 months. Yeah, I know, big deal, where's God in that. The fact that the seizures are still very much a part of my life but I'm back in school and my ministry is in the college now is so much a miracle when you're looking at in from my point of view. One of these days I'll rehash my very LOOOOOOOOOONG Surgery and recovery testimony of how God's been here and you'll see just How much God's worked.
Okay! So here's the deal. I write things, and then I completely forget that They've been written after about a month. It goes with being blonde. I was going through my files of all these "forgotten" inspirationals... if I can call them that... and came upon this one. You'll probably hate me for what I have to say because it isnt the greatest thing especially if you caterogize yourself as a "pew Christian" but when you look at it this way, you see the truth a little bit more. What more do we have to say except Abba Father Daddy.. and really live that statement out? And to think I WAS going to write about Jesus' first miracle!

To hear the fire was enough to make the large gathering homey. To hear the stray dog down the street was annoying but what say did I have in that? I had come to hear the Master. They said He was the best. That you walked in, and you knew something was different about this man.
“I can’t see His face!” I heard a teenager whimper frustratingly somewhere in the crowd. I felt like I could echo his cry a thousand times.
“If He doesn’t start right in ten minutes I’m leaving Susan!” I heard a young adult that just by looking at her I could tell she had had life handed to her on a silver platter.
Don’t judge. I thought to myself. I could have been just like her. I had led a life where many people had judged me… why would I have wanted to come to Christ if a so-called ‘Christian’ was judging me?
“I CANT SEE HIS FACE!!!” A double-chinned guy smoking a pipe screamed at the top of his lungs. Honestly concerned He’d die of a heart attack by the next time He yelled that I yelled back,
“NO ONE CAN!” And with that the man was silent and amazingly enough the whole gathering was as well.
“Susan, its 10:00 I’m ready to start now.” The master said gently. Instead of blushing as red as a fire hydrant, she smiled right back.
“Okay folks, you might think it’s a lecture tonight,” With that he faced groans and I heard a kid whisper to his girlfriend that ‘ we could’ve gone to the movies’ but the Master continued.
“I want you to see what you have done to me. Do you realize that I hung the cross, completely stripped?” With that he took off the top of his tunic and showed the scars of his back.
“Yes, you call me ‘Master’ ‘Rabonai’ JESUS. Look me in the eye my children, it’s me. I’m alive and this is how you treat me? This is how you spread the gift that I have given you? If you don’t believe me do what my friend and disciple Thomas did, come up here and put your finger in my hand and side. Go ahead and look at the stripes on my back and legs, I’m real. I’m just as much alive as I was centuries ago.
I had to speak up. “Jesus, why can’t I see your face?” “You’ll see my face when these scars really start making sense to you, when that phrase you pass around in your circles ‘make me more like Jesus’ is complete. Then my dear sweet Child, you’ll see my face. Until then, you’ll only know my touch, and only experience what it’s like for me to pick you up along the way.” What I experienced when I walked in at the beginning, the only thing making the meeting something human was the fire. Now, people stood up in unison praising God, and what I had heard from the people on the street was true, this man did make a remarkable difference in peoples lives. In ways you just didn’t know how to explain.

The Bible talks about how when we get to Heaven the scars of Jesus will still remain. I guess the only question I have for all of us, myself included, is will we be able to say that we lived in a way so that He didnt die in vain?just a thought....talk atcha later~Cass

Nearby

Hey Guys,
It's me.... finally!! Just hanging out and tryin to take a break.... its been a crazy couple of weeks. Taking some college classes. Western Civ, Psych and Voice... so its been a weird life so fair, but its been good. Its amazing how I've only been there a week yet Gods already open many doors for me to say something about the Gospel. If ya think about it, just be praying that I'll stay faithful; to that as much as my studies... thanks!
Jeremiah 23:23-24 "Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD, "and not a God far away? 24 Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.
I love Jeremiah and Isaiah because there are parts that its likew God's BRAGGING on himself. But Man! What an awesome God we serve, that He can tell us about his Son, even before Jesus came! "I am a God nearby, people!" What a crazy thought when the world tries to revere him as the opposite. "Oh, well... there's no way that I can reach him now, I've done to much!" WHAT?! A God nearby would never EVER see it that way. The love he shows is amazing, it says in John 3:17 "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." A god faraway could never save them like that.
Yet, as soon as he says that, he replies, "you cant hide." uhhh. Dangit! But what an awesome thought all at the same time. All those times that I was dying inside and hiding in a closet, He saw me. But still, He knows. He has both sides to him, the just and the love. What a contrast, and I cant even see it, but its the truth. I love the fact that He's asking to be real in our lives... and that I dont have to understand it **snap** right now.
He fills Heaven and Earth. WOW!!!! I dont know about you, but in every place I've been in the world I look up and think "there's Heaven" AND HE FILLS THAT?! What a powerful God! What a mighty God. Yet He's offering all of that to us, because he wants that relationship with us. What a hard thing to comprehend, in our small little brains. I would think with all that power to destroy us after what we did to Him and his Son... Yet he's giving us a second Chance. He's a God Nearby.Take that Literally
Talk atcha later
Cass