In Chains for Christ

This weekend at Elevation Church Pastor Steven Furtick preached on joy from Philippians 1.

A few major points that really hit me:

• My joy is not determined by what happens to me but by what God is doing in me and through me.
• Spiritual Ju-Jit-Su = using the enemy's attacks against him.
• If you are in chains you have a captive audience.
• Perceive God's purpose in your persecution and participate in HIS purpose.
• There is a purpose in whatever sentence you have or whatever prison you are in.
• Shake it of, and step on up.
• Joy is down in MY heart. Where? DOWN IN MY HEART!

I put two and two together today and realized that I have a prison of my own like Paul did. As a teenager I am in prison to going to school. That is neither good or bad all the time. When you look at the 8+ hours that I spend there everyday, what a great opportunity we have as students. People are stuck in classrooms with us for hours upon hours. They have to be there with us. What better way to be a light in your world than to do it during school hours. As high schoolers we spend on average, 1,260 hours in class per year. (That number does not even include any extra-curicular activity hours.)

Why should all that time go to strictly school time. You have a lunch time don't you? Use everyday as a chance to be Christ to your peers. We are in chains to having to be at school, WHY NOT use that as our pulpit?! Who knows what God will do through you this year if you allow Him to make you aware of your 'preaching opportunities' and to speak through you.

"Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly...I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Philippians 1:14, 20-21

Word Waterfall

"The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment."

Proverbs 10:20-21

The things we say, even in a joking manner, can crush those that hear it. Much value is placed upon the words that spur from our mouths. The people around us take great care to listen to what we say, so much care needs to be taken to the things that we let come out. I can be quick to let something fly from my mouth but I am learning, mostly the hard ways, how hard those words are to those around me and how I need to fix them. I am foolish like the unrighteous if I do not learn how to wrangle my tongue, though my words can be something that nourishes the soul if I learn to control them.

I would much prefer my words to be a nourishing word waterfall that to be dead for my lack of judgement.