Holy Discontent

I want to first start by saying that I have known for a while that God has called me to love the broken, hurting and outcast. To love the ones that others pass by and look down on. Not only to love them, but to make myself available to be "interrupted" by them; to talk and converse and befriend them.

I have also known for a while that God has called me into youth ministry. Whether its been involving myself in pastoral leadership or speaking (Gods lately shown me visions of me SPEAKING as a leader of conferences and camps which is awesome).

The two are related because both things are something that I have a heavy heart for. Both of which have been termed "Holy Discontents".

I say all this because today I felt a little bit of how God feels about both of these things in my life; I felt completely broken for them. I love them so much, and God does too. It was like for a moment I caught a glimpse of what God was feeling. My heart, which I've been praying for to be aligned with my Fathers, was actually aligned. My spirit was at the right hand of God in Christ Jesus looking down at the earth and hurting so badly for the ones who are denied love by others. Who are downtrodden and spat on. Who are hurting. Who are naked. Who are homeless. Who are sick. Who are hungry. Who are lonely.

It was like I suddenly realized that I was happy, and everyone was hurting. I wanted so badly to grow extra long arms, or multiply myself, and give everyone a big bear hug and to comfort them, and to tell them that I loved them; even if no one else did and that more importantly GOD their AMAZING CREATOR loves them.

All of this hit me, and I felt so incredibly burdened; in the best way possible.

I know now that I have the capacity to love, that my heart is aligned with God my Father; I'm going to run with this now. I am going to go out and continue to love as only God knows how, because its not going to be me loving, but me just being the vessel for which Christs love will be poured out.

I ask that you pray continually pray for my strength, endurance, and motivation to carry out this "Holy Discontent" like Nehemiah did with the wall, like Noah did with the arc, like Abraham did with Isaac. I know that satan is going to attack me because I have confidence and I am a leader; satan hates leaders with a vision and a love for God. It just means that I'm unstoppable.

Pray that I don't lose motivation.

Pray that I don't fall victim to spiritual amnesia. Because the God who delivered Israel from Egypt, the God who parted the Red Sea, the God who flooded the earth, the God who took Enoch, the God who stopped the sun, the God who loves, the God who provides, the God who sent down His only son to die for me, the God who was, is, and will come can do this for me.

Its not too much for a righteous man to ask for help carrying out a task that is too much for him to carry. I need help remembering that.

Know that God will accept your request if you come before His throne humbled; "The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16), we are righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ our Savior; and if we pray in His name it will be done. Pray with expectancy. Be confident.

I love you all so much and I felt lead to share this with you all.
I hope this excites you as much as it excites me.

that's my time :)
-Josh

New Things

First, I want to let you ponder two thoughts "Spiritual Bulimia" and "My flesh is an unbroken horse".

Second, read these lyrics.

This song has been ministering to me lately.
Its so beautiful, and it excites me about my Saviors coming.
I can't wait to stand in heaven with my heavenly brothers and sisters as His bride, singing "You are beautiful".
It's going to be beautiful.
FYI my favorite is the last verse and chorus :)

Beautiful-Phil Wickham

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It’s all proclaiming who You are
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful, you're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

Joy of the Lord

As of lately, God has been testing me- A lot.

I forget how seriously my heavenly Father takes me when I talk to Him.

I was asking Him for a while to align my heart with His; for me to hate what He hates.
Love what He loves, etc.

When God gives you trials, you're supposed to rejoice in them, because it refines us, and gives us the ability to be molded.

I love the analogy of refiners fire; God heats us up in His fire of affliction (trials) and our imperfections rise to the top (sin). Once we're in the hottest point, (deepest despair or pain/frustration), God gives us the choice to change or to stay the same. Trusting God is the hardest at these points. Any one can praise God in prosperity, but what makes God look amazingly glorious, is praising Him in the midst of deepest pain. When we ask for God to change us, He does; God cleanses us from our sin ("the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man, avails much") and fills up our broken and empty spaces where the sin was trying to fill in with Him. After this process is over, we can really begin to appreciate how beautiful God is.

I know this process seems undesirable, but its really amazing how much it helps your walk.

It is imperative as followers of Jesus Christ to be constantly reminded of Jesus Christ as our savior, redeemer, provider, and one true friend.

From the process mentioned before I've found that I'm able to truly have Joy provided by the my heavenly Father and this is my strength; this is the light that the world see's, shining about the darkness.

So this is whats been going on in my life; I know its not as long as my other ones- But I've been filled with joy, and I had to write about it :)

I love you all, very very much :)

I hope this encouraged one person.

"I have become all things to all men , that I might by all means save some."
1 Corinthians 9:22b