Jessie’s Blog

Ugh.  Every pastor/speaker knows the feeling.  You’re excited about your message, you have in your heart what you want to say.  Then you share it . . . and it just doesn’t come out right — not the way you hoped, anyway.  And, you keep going over and over and over in your head things you MEANT to say, but didn’t, all the good points you wanted to make, but forgot..  Well, I’ve been feeling so strongly about what I DIDN’T say in my message Sunday morning that I just wanted to follow up and clarify.  Actually, I’ve been inspired by another pastor (of a large, growing, vibrant church, by the way) who has dedicated his WHOLE blog to having a release valve for all those post-sermon thoughts and feelings (see Dave Workman’s blog here). 

So, my message was, “The Hidden Power of a Rejoicing Heart”.  Truthfully, it should have been probably like, a four-part series. . . I always bite off way more than I can chew with my messages.  It’s hard though, when you only speak once a month… you get inspired by the Holy Spirit, and feel like you have to “cram it all in”.  This is the challenge of sharing from the Word:  there is so much that the Lord can say, but there is just a short window of time (and attention span).  I don’t like looong sermons.  But, more often than I like, I speak too long (I can when I’ve run the length of my audiences attention span – it’s written on their faces:)).  So, I know I went too long, but I was more frustrated with the feeling that I didn’t even say it well, even though I took many minutes trying!!  Argh!  Blame it on too much (good) information, or lack of solid preparation — I’ll take blame for both.  Let me summarize some of what I WISH I would have said clearly, and I’ll feel much better . . . and hopefully it will stir your heart as well.  

It’s God’s design for us that we all enter into the ecstatic joy of our Father today and every day!!

We are not meant to live a burdened, weighed down life.  The burdens we do have, we release to the Lord!  Our main “burden” in life, is to be yoked to Jesus and learn of Him!  Our great privilege in this life is to make knowing Jesus and walking with Him our main concern.

There are cares and worries in this life, but they are all temporary.  The God we are joined to is forever GOOD, happy, and IN LOVE WITH US, and He doesn’t change! 

This is the reward that cannot be stolen from us, it is the one thing that nothing can change – a rejoicing heart – strength at all times, unquenchable by the enemy or any circumstance, because it’s based on God and who HE IS, and HE NEVER CHANGES!!! 

That’s what I wanted to say!  If I would have said that and nothing else, it would have been good. 

I Peter 1:3-9

Praise Be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us birth into a NEW and LIVING HOPE . . . which can never spoil or fade….. 6  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith . . may be proved genuine . . .Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

thank you, Peter, you say it way better than I ever could! 

I’m on a role with three-letter acronym titles (FYI, VOM, now IJM).  

I feel kinda bad about this…. my last post was all about persecution and human rights violations, plus I’ve got another page totally dedicated to the nations, yet, in all of this, I haven’t mentioned the International Justice Mission (IJM) once. 

This all hit me yesterday as I was talking with Sam Young after church, and he mentioned reading my blog regularly (thanks, Sam! ).  . . . How does all that connect, you ask?  Well, Sam WORKS for IJM today, and in my early years as a youth leader, he was one of the best student leaders — and now a young man who I greatly esteem.  Not only that, last month, there was a huge initiative at Michigan State University called the “Price of Life” that partnered with IJM to expose the campus to the reality of human trafficking — an initiative that I helped (in a small way) sponsor!  It was talking to Sam, about IJM, the initiative, and a passing reference to my blog, that made it hit me:  why haven’t I said anything about IJM?!?! 

What is IJM? 
I could hardly do them justice, but I will try.  You will be best served to go to their website and see for yourself.  Thier mission, from the website: 
IJM exists to protect people from violent forms of injustice by securing rescue and restoration for victims and accountability for perpetrators, ensuring that public justice systems work for the poor.

I would describe it like this (in my VERY limited knowledge of them).  IJM is a non-profit social justice organization, working all over the world to free people from unjustices and human rights violations.  They work with different national and international governments to bring criminals to just and bring an end to crimes that are many-times ignored in third-world regions (one of the biggest problems: child sex slavery).  The things they see and the stories they tell will 1.) turn your stomach  2.) make you wish you never heard them  3.) motivate you to do SOMETHING to change the situation.  I can tell you, I have had all three reactions . . . and still do. 

IJM is an amazing organization.  They’ve only been around 10 years, but have gained a huge amount of respect, money, and power because what they are doing is honest, excellent in every way, and willing to take lots of (very necessary) risks.  Sad to say (but true), one of the most impressive things about IJM, is that although they are a faith-based organization, they don’t use heart wrenching pleas for money, nor do they operate on a shoestring, barely-getting-by budget.  Their mentality is: fight for justice, and do it right;  no cutting corners or playing “unfair” with people’s heart strings.  I love it. 

About Sam Young. 
I have to write this part, and not just because he may read it .  Many of you don’t know him, but he’s the kind of guy that you WANT to know.  Sam grew up in a big family (6 kids),  went to church all his life (Dad was/is an elder in the church), played lots of sports in high school (noteably, co-captain of the football team), and was well-liked by everyone.  When he graduated, he attended the University of Michigan and recieved his degree in Criminal Justice.  He also got married soon after graduation.

So, here’s a guy, who, in most people’s opinions has everything going for him.  Raised in a good home (not without it’s own problems, though), earned a degree from one of the highest ranking Universities, well-liked and talented.  What does a guy like that do, as he looks ahead at life, and thinks “how can I really make a difference?  how can I best use my life right now to impact the world?”.  He goes to work for IJM!!  How awesome is that?!  And, it’s not like they gave him some prestigious position in the organization.  No, he so believes in justice — the real kind (not some of the shady things that go down in other areas of the legel arena) — that he’s willing to move himself and his new wife and start a new life in Washington, D.C. (far away from both families), with a job at the lower end of the totem pole. . . because he believes, IT’S WORTH IT.  and, I AGREE!  I give my standing ovation to Sam today!

More thoughts on why I love this guy . .  though he was raised in the church, the son of an Elder, he never seemed to get “jaded” with the whole “church” thing.  He was always the “perfect” kid in the youth group (and not just because he wanted to be the youth pastor’s pet; he was the real deal!).  If I got discouraged about other people or what was happening in the ministry, I always knew thinking about Sam and his pure heart for God and love for people would encourage me to keep going.   He never tried to be fake, but was always genuinely interested in others.  He was popular in school and probably could have dated almost any girl, but chose not to waste too much emotional energy on relationships until he felt he was ready to invest in someone special (which didn’t happen until college).  He was a blessing to me because he was always respectful toward me and always seemed to have a good attitude.  He went on to college, and instead of looking to “be free” and live crazy, being out from the watchful eyes of his parents, he continued on the path of integrity, becoming a leader on campus, persuing the best in every area of his life.  Today, I believe he’s very happy.  He’s reaping the rewards of living a life of faith and purpose.  I would guess that he feels fulfilled, knowing that his life is making a difference, and that every choice along the way was worth it.  And, he’s only just begun!

Here’s to you, Sam!  I love you!   

So, I was in the apartment workout facility, with CNN on the TV today, and was SO excited [not exactly the right word] and surprised to see a commercial from Voice of the Martyrs!!! 

Voice of the Martyrs is an organization dedicated to helping, and exposing the horrendous persuction that is perpetrated against Christians in many parts of the world.  The stories they share of real life believers, suffering for following Christ TODAY on another part of the planet will shock you, in a very needed way. 

It’s inconceivable to me that the things happening right now (torture, imprisonment, death) in some countries are so NOT well-known to us in the “free world”.  We say we believe in human rights . . .but suddenly if “religion” is involved, nobody wants to touch it — what’s that about?!?  A life is a life, right?

Anyhow, I won’t rant about it.  I was just VERY glad to see that they were able to make a commercial that tells the TRUTH, and get in on a national station that so many look to for news.  That’s what I call REAL NEWS.  Maybe we’ll all wake up a little bit. 

I encourage you to get informed.  and PRAY.  If you’re a believer in Christ, these are your FAMILY members!  If you’re not, they’re still human, like you, who deserve the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of what nation they live in.

love to all — J.

I posted a new (short) blurb on the North Korea page. 

Really, I hoped to not be so “serious” and “spiritual” all the time on this blog . . . I’m just taken with this topic right now… someday soon (hopefully) I’ll have a “just for fun” blog…

Part 4:  We go farther together. 

This is one of the biggest hurdles for us in the Western world.  We live individualistic lives in pretty much every area; we really don’t even have much of a grid for having any kind of “corporate” identity, wether it be in a family, a church, a community, whatever.  We value our independance and personal journey.  There is a reality to a personal journey and our relationship with God.  However, it can’t just be “me and Jesus”. 

See, there is ONE Body.  And, the Father is preparing a Wedding (see Matthew 22) where there will be ONE BRIDE.  Our identity will be so intertwined and connected with one another, that we can truly be called “one”.  There’s no reference to the “harem” of Christ (heard that once and it stuck with me . 

So, one person may speak of amazing personal revelations and experiences they have in the Lord.  However, if that cannot find an expression that impacts others and draws all of us into more of the “fullness of Christ”, there’s a problem.  As they say, “no man is an island”, I think the same concept is reflected in our life in the Spirit.  Don’t get me wrong, we should ALL have a personal, private history with God.  We cannot live off of another person’s pursuit of the Holy, some how siphoning spiritual reality when we haven’t pressed in ourselves.  On the other hand, people who find no need for the corporate expressions of worship, and feel hindered because they just want to “go” in God, and others “just don’t understand” are missing out on the greatest blessing of all. 

We ARE called to love God in the most extravagant personal, all-consuming way possible (first commandment: love God with everything).  We are ALSO called to love others (second greatest command!).  Our relationship to the Lord is intricately connected to the life and love we share with others. 

God has a desire to cause us to attain to the “fullness of Christ” — to somehow grab hold of ALL that Christ is– but, it only happens in relationship to one another!!  (see Ephesians 4:12-13, “. . . that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the.. fullness of Christ).  This is amazing, stunning, and challenging all at the same time! 

Let me throw out a few of the most startling Scriptures related to this:

Paul prayed…”that you may be able to comprehend together with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;  that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18-19 

Paul prays that we would comprehend the great love of God — and be filled with the fullness of God — but only in the context of “wiith ALL the saints”.  We get it TOGETHER. 

 the commanded blessing: “See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard ……. for THERE the Lord commands the blessing — life forevermore.” Psalm 133:1-3 

Not only is it GOOD and PLEASANT (that means God really likes it!), it says that He COMMANDS a blessing…. there’s a blessing that cannot be stopped, because it is commanded by God Himself!!  It is an ETERNAL blessing, and powerful blessing:  “life forevermore” — could that mean the RESURRECTION LIFE and POWER of Jesus?????  We are supposed to have His POWER in us!  So what could this commanded blessing and “life forevermore” contain??……. 

This promise seems to be partly fulfilled in the book of Acts: “They were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house …. then there appeared to them tongues of fire, and one sat upon each of them, and everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 2:1-3) “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.  Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.  There wasn’t anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” (Acts 4:31-35) 

Wow!  Obviously as the people came together in Unity, great power was released!  It’s awesome!   

“And through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people.  And they were all with one accord at the Temple area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.”  Acts 5:12… and more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord — crowds of both men and women…… Crowds came in from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.”  Acts 5:14-16

I could happy to love Jesus in my little corner of life.  But, He has SO much more for us!  How could we not come together, and find out what the reality of knowing the FULLNESS of God is??