Little Nuggets...

I came away from the Straight Up Weekend (SUW) student event I was involved in this weekend with nuggets of truth, as well as musical lyrics that touched my heart. I decided to take a post to share. The music was performed by our very own Zack Olsen & the Refuge Band. The speaker was Casey Cease on the theme "The Rebellion," based on the passage Romans 12:2.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

• Wanna be a rebel? Read your Bible daily...most of the world does not.
• Chorus: "Nothing's gonna take Your praise out of my mouth, as long as I shall live..."
• Don't be so against the world that you are no good to the world. Or so much like the world you become little use to God.
• It's dangerous to disconnect our practices from biblical teaching. Out actions should line up with Truth.
• Love, especially for God, is something to be chased after, pursued and hoped in, even when we don't "feel" like it.
• We often treat Jesus like "training wheels". We need His help at the beginning of our faith walk to get going, but leave Him behind as soon as we get comfortable and think we can do it (life) on our own.
• You might be a Pharisee if you (1) are more consumed with appearing righteous that pursuing the Righteous One (2) care more about your outward appearance than the condition of your heart (3) or are quicker to talk about what you're against than what you are for. How is your heart?
• Your sanctification is your responsibility.
• What if my time with God were not just for me? What if it were not only for my nourishment, but the nourishment of others, for the purpose of pointing others to the Father.
• Prayer is to the church like breath is to life.
• If you're not giving a thought to God until you come to a church service or event, you're a "binge Christian". Repent and turn to Jesus. He is better than whatever you're doing instead!
• One of the girls in our group said, "Do what's right even if you're standing alone." ~ H.D.
• Your sin affects your body and the body (of Christ).
• What is your faith walk costing you? Anything? If not, it should be! (time, money, sacrifice, rejection...)
• If we're not living rebelious for Jesus, or counter-cultural, we look just like the world. We must stand for the things that Jesus stands for if we're going to change the world.
• This one was more for me as a parent... Don't let my future daughter-in-law marry a "son" - prepare him to be a "husband" so he will not distort her view of God and hinder her worship. Wow!
• Worship is whatever captures your mind's attendtion and your life's affections...
• God rescued me. What would it look like to live the rest of my life as a "thank you"?
• Rather than grumbling about the world, be Jesus to the world. Point them to Him!
• What would it look like to deny yourself and rebel against your own flesh?
• When good things happen we want to take credit. When bad things happen we want to blame God.
• In what ways do I intentionally position myself to hear from God?
• Some of us have fallen on rough times or tough circumstances in our lives, but instead of being angry at God, we need to run to God. He is the only One who can save us, satisfy us, fill us.
• If you are living in sin, it's sin, whether or not you feel convicted.
• Don't just be hearers of the Word, but doers. (James 1:22-25)