When I find myself standing still.

All right, I will not read it until morning. Grr.



Songs stir me up. I don't love songs because they have catchy lyrics or jamming beats. I love certain songs because they soften my heart and help me see a glimpse of God's heart. Love it!

Anywho, normally I enjoy taking the time... to properly take things in (So simple, I know). This 'standing still' is something I work through everyday. I've blogged about this before, I've preached about this before, it's the reason for half of my convictions; let's just say, it's something I'm working on.
Background information: I'm a big fan of all things tangible, and I have an issue with things I cannot grasp (but they fascinate me so!) Said in a blunt fashion: my faith sucks. Here's some scripture I read the other day that stirred me up, once again.

³¹"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." ³³But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." ³⁴Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."
Luke 22:31-34

Simon Peter is the real deal. Like Peter, I want to show God through what I can accomplish how much I love Him. In doing so, I miss the whole point. It's never about what I can do. God loved us first (1 John 4:19), it's our response to love Him with our lives...

I feel exactly like Peter: God, let me do something bold with you and sacrifice all I have for you to earn what you've given me. My problem is this gaping void that I feel needs to be filled with acceptance. By doing something other's cannot do to set I may be able to set myself apart; maybe I'll be needed and accepted. Other times, I rationalize 'standing still' by saying, "If I had a bit more faith, or strength, I could actually do things for God," but here comes the issue.

Joe 1: Joe 2, define faith.
Joe 2: Duh, Joe 1, Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." .. Ah, crap.
Joe 1: Mmhmm, why do you need additional strength? If you had evidence to prove your faith, what would you have?
Joe 2: I don't know... but it wouldn't be faith, anymore, would it?
Joe 1: Exactly, now shut up, and trust in Jesus, already!

Other linked ideas:

⁵The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
⁶He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.
Luke 17:5-6

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¹⁰"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
Luke 16:10

See, Jesus doesn't want you to do more. Whatever you have, give it all up for Him to use. It's funny, a lame image I have of this is an idea of an old school #2 pencil. It's a something simple tool, but it's value and use is found in the craftsmanship of the user. The same pencil has different value in the hand of a first grader than it does in an artist, writer, or mathmetician. Don't mean to rag on 1st Graders, but it's the way it is. Compared to God, we're dorks. We're cute and can draw stick figure pictures of our family, but God is yearning to use you to do something beautiful.

Hope that makes at least a little bit of sense. I will spend a large majority of my life trying to get this. The story of my life (and I wouldn't have it any other way!)

-Joe

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Workout:
Max Rep Muscle Ups (This is TOUGH!, but I have a recording of this now...)
Almost grabbed 7.. grr.
I'll take 6, though. Another week of muscle up, pull ups, and dips work. Trying to hit 10 muscle ups consecutively.



Then...
60 Explosive Step Ups (Something I made up, I love them!)
60 Ring Pull ups
60 Ring Push ups
60 Air Squats

One more week until I can use weights!

Last thing, I promise... My completed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Drawing!!
It's like a revelation from God or something... absolutely loving this!