Awakening? + In Him

Today a man from our church called to encourage Nathan and I. Although there is a lot he said, one thing I would like to highlight is that he said an awakening is happening and the tides are turning. He then gave us this song to listen to:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_J9BI6AFO0


I'm not positive exactly what he means...whether he is talking about us individually, our church, our country or the world...but whatever it means...it sounds exciting. 


I still feel as though my walk with God is not the most exciting. I don't hear him often and when I read my Bible..sometimes I don't get much out of it. However I am trying to be diligent in following God and I think he honours that. Being at our new church has been an exciting experience for us. I have seen God work in many ways I have not seen him work before. Seeing God work makes me excited and want to follow him even more. Today I wonder why God would use me at all...but I feel privileged to know he wants to. I just need to remember to rely on him and when things get done it is by God's working and not my own. I also feel as though I can't do anything and have to remember that if I allow God to work, then I can be used. What a delicate balance between being humble and also being confident in God. 


On another note,I listened to part 2 of the Ephesians series today..


Today we looked at Ephesians 1:11-14 which says: 


¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[a] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.


Hmm this sermon was a little more confusing than yesterdays as are the above verses. These were the main points Matt had:


1) In Him, the old passes away and the new shall come (based on 2 Corinthians 5:17)
2) We are made alive in Christ
3) There is no condemnation for us because of God
4) We are presented perfect before God because of Jesus
5) We are God's possession
6) God marks us and seals in us the Holy Spirit 


I am going to put the above verses again but in the Message version. I realize the Message is not a proper translation...but it made a lot of sense to me....here it is:



^11-12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
 ^13-14It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.


I found this version helpful. I love that God had thought of us before we were even born. I also like that in Christ we have great plans..."we find out who we are and what we are living for". I think a lot of people wonder why they exist and what their purpose is...THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE!! I just want to shake people sometime and shout in their faces....but of course that would land me in jail...so I can't do that. I gotta laugh at the line above "signed, sealed, delivered" because of that song..anyway back on track...what amazes me is that the gift of the Holy Spirit is only our first gift....more is still coming! Which would obviously be being in Heaven with God face to face..


Anyway I don't have much else to say...I didn't find today's sermon or reading too life changing or thought provoking. Matt Chandler was quite excited by these verses though..so that's good. I guess I need to ponder more by what it means by being God's possession and also the fact that God thought about me and chose me before I was even born.