Hey guys,
So, we've arrived in Eston, and have been here for just a little less than a week now. It's great to be back. The community here is amazing, and God is moving in people's hearts (and classes didn't even start till this morning!!)
I've had some really cool chances to catch up with friends, meet new friends, and encourage people in the things that God's doing in them while they're here. I also got a few (pretty simple) prophetic words for people at a prayer meeting we had tonight, so that was encouraging for myself too! :)
Today, like I mentioned above, we began classes. All first year students are required to take a course called "Introduction to Spirit Filled Living". I'm also taking this course, because I didn't take it last year (thinking I wouldn't be a student at the school long term :P... God has funny plans :P ).
As I began reading the books we have been assigned, one of the topics in of one of the books stood out to me in a super crazy way! The author, a Chinese pastor known as Watchman Nee, was talking about the difference between the "Normal Christian Life", and the "Average Christian Life". As he explained, they're VERY different.
The average Christian life is what you see when you walk into most churches today. You see lethargy. You see people who confess that they love God, that they want to do what He says, and who will sing songs about it every Sunday. Monday morning, though, it's like they've forgotten all about what they said less than 24 hours before.
The average Christian life is what we're used to seeing. It's the current place most Christians are at (thus the term "Average")
The normal Christian life, though, is MUCH different. The normal Christian life is an emulation of Christ in it's purest form. The normal Christian life is characterized by the supernatural happening like it was natural. People living the Normal Christian life are CONTROLLED by the peace of Christ, as if it was woven into them as part of their very identity. Holiness exudes from them, like light from the sun. They walk, balancing the power and love of God in a beautiful display, for all around them to see. They are in sync with their command post, their omnipotent Daddy, like dancers in sync with their music.
The normal Christian life isn't normal by our standards, but by God's. We look at all that, and call it weird, abnormal, or peculiar. But God looks at it, and sees the reflection of His Son in it (because, in truth, that's all it is).
I want what God calls normal to become our average. I'm sick of seeing average Christianity, and what it's doing to the name of my King (and I'm sick of the ways I've emulated average Christianity, instead of Normal Christianity that emulates Christ).
We were all meant for more than that.
Jesus, teach us to live our lives like you -- living out this journey by the "Normal" you've set; not by what we call normal. Thank you that we're yours. Help us to grow into what you've actually called us to, not the plans we've made up that sell You short.
ἀγάπη αὐτου οὐδέποτε πίπτει
Josh
P.S. Sorry... that was pretty scattered... It's after midnight, and I have reading I was supposed to be doing for the morning... I just wanted to write a quick update/rant on that :P
Love ya guys! Thanks for reading
So, we've arrived in Eston, and have been here for just a little less than a week now. It's great to be back. The community here is amazing, and God is moving in people's hearts (and classes didn't even start till this morning!!)
I've had some really cool chances to catch up with friends, meet new friends, and encourage people in the things that God's doing in them while they're here. I also got a few (pretty simple) prophetic words for people at a prayer meeting we had tonight, so that was encouraging for myself too! :)
Today, like I mentioned above, we began classes. All first year students are required to take a course called "Introduction to Spirit Filled Living". I'm also taking this course, because I didn't take it last year (thinking I wouldn't be a student at the school long term :P... God has funny plans :P ).
As I began reading the books we have been assigned, one of the topics in of one of the books stood out to me in a super crazy way! The author, a Chinese pastor known as Watchman Nee, was talking about the difference between the "Normal Christian Life", and the "Average Christian Life". As he explained, they're VERY different.
The average Christian life is what you see when you walk into most churches today. You see lethargy. You see people who confess that they love God, that they want to do what He says, and who will sing songs about it every Sunday. Monday morning, though, it's like they've forgotten all about what they said less than 24 hours before.
The average Christian life is what we're used to seeing. It's the current place most Christians are at (thus the term "Average")
The normal Christian life, though, is MUCH different. The normal Christian life is an emulation of Christ in it's purest form. The normal Christian life is characterized by the supernatural happening like it was natural. People living the Normal Christian life are CONTROLLED by the peace of Christ, as if it was woven into them as part of their very identity. Holiness exudes from them, like light from the sun. They walk, balancing the power and love of God in a beautiful display, for all around them to see. They are in sync with their command post, their omnipotent Daddy, like dancers in sync with their music.
The normal Christian life isn't normal by our standards, but by God's. We look at all that, and call it weird, abnormal, or peculiar. But God looks at it, and sees the reflection of His Son in it (because, in truth, that's all it is).
I want what God calls normal to become our average. I'm sick of seeing average Christianity, and what it's doing to the name of my King (and I'm sick of the ways I've emulated average Christianity, instead of Normal Christianity that emulates Christ).
We were all meant for more than that.
Jesus, teach us to live our lives like you -- living out this journey by the "Normal" you've set; not by what we call normal. Thank you that we're yours. Help us to grow into what you've actually called us to, not the plans we've made up that sell You short.
ἀγάπη αὐτου οὐδέποτε πίπτει
Josh
P.S. Sorry... that was pretty scattered... It's after midnight, and I have reading I was supposed to be doing for the morning... I just wanted to write a quick update/rant on that :P
Love ya guys! Thanks for reading
