Out of the Box

Confession: I have been avoiding non-Christian media and sources (which I think is a good thing to do, for reasons stated below) but I think a "holier-than-thou" attitude had crept into my heart.

God has been speaking me through channels that I was not expecting, humbling me and showing me that I had boxed in how he could speak to me..

But also: I believe this was more of God redeeming these things, showing me that he CAN use non-Christian media, but NOT saying that we should go watch anything/everything.

 (1 Cor 10)  "I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"--but not everything is constructive.

I would like to exhort my brothers and sisters to discern what media they take in. As what we eat affects our bodily health (e.g. from unhealthy to healthy (my opinion): poison, junk food, processed food, eating out, added sugar, eating healthy..) what we take into our mind will affect our soul & spirit. Some are healthier than others; some are in the gray area, some are downright harmful. (The best would be the Word of God. :) )

A lot of media contain values that go against biblical values, and if we consume them without discernment, will affect how we think. 

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom 12)

There is also a spiritual aspect, which I do not yet know how to put into words well. But as I was pondering that, this scripture came to mind:

The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. (1 Cor 6)

I believe, generally as body of Christ, we have been dulled to the effects that media has on our spiritual life. We are called to holiness, purity -- not to be taken out of the world, but not to be of the world. I want the Church to be a pure bride for Christ, with undivided heart, undivided attention.

the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. (1 Cor 7)

(If you ask me, do I have to cut them out? I will say, do you have to exercise or not eat junk food? You have the right not to, but there are consequences. Do you have to follow Christ? God is not forcing you, but there will be reward in heaven. 1 Cor 3 -- If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.)

That was a much-longer intro than I expected.. Thanks for reading :) And with that..

Coworker during 1:1

(Context: I had been discouraged because I kept "falling" or "sinning" and being weak.. coworker was talking about technology and ramping up on a new team)

• regarding programming he said, "how to operate when you can’t see more than 2 feet -- constantly iterate, 2 steps forward 1 step back
• learning something new – sponge, be willing to make mistakes, improve
• ask fewer questions; biggest impediment to learning is you’re asking too many questions
• existing wisdom makes you question everything; cynic
• God had been telling me, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.."
• don’t bring too much intelligence into learning; slow down, don’t think 5 steps ahead; think about only what you’re learning at the moment; if you think too much ahead, you’ll overwhelm yourself
• I had been overwhelmed about the calling God had given me, and God was telling me through him, focus on now, you don't need to look decades into the future and worry about not being there yet or how to get there; I will get you there -- you focus on the present. 
• we wanna know everything right now, but the more you know the more you learn how little you know
• people will figure things out; give them guardrails; allow room for mistakes

Katy Perry's Roar

He has been training my voice -- from being more soft-spoken to be louder; to use my voice in spiritual warfare, to declare scripture, to praise God. The phrase God keeps up bringing is "spiritual warfare is battle of the sound", meaning there is power on our lips, that when we speak the Word of God, it builds our faith ("faith comes from hearing") and that something supernatural happens. 

(I also noticed the theme of fire and butterfly, which is a word that someone had given to me last December..)

For the First Time in Forever

When I was doubting/ignoring God's voice..

Please don't shut me out again, please don't slam the door
You don't have to keep your distance anymore
For the first time in forever, we can fix this hand in hand
We can head down this [icy] mountain together
You don't have to live in fear

Also, Frozen definitely got this right -- love melts ice; perfect love casts out fear.

This girl is on fire by Alicia Keys

I had been asking, "God, give me the baptism of the Holy Ghost and His fire, that will consume me, those around me, and the nations." The theme of FIRE keeps coming up! In the previous song, in this, in other places..

Just Can't wait to be king & Hakuna Matata

In the first song, Simba wants to be a grown-up. He wears a mane made of leaves, and at the end, there is a castle that's built from animals standing top of one another, that falls to the ground.

It is during Hakuna Matata, which means "it means no worries", that Simba actually grows - the scene where they walk across the log.

God has been teaching me to focus on the present, to have fun, and not overly focus on growth. On a road trip, to leave the driving and navigation to Jesus, and look out the window and have fun, doing the things he's asking me to do.

.... right after adding this blurb, "My Utmost for His Highest" devotional opened to this page -- https://utmost.org/god%e2%80%99s-purpose-or-mine/. There is no coincidence.. I am amazed at how intimately, intricately involved God is in our lives.. even to the smallest detail.

Just the Way You Are

Thumbelina's Let Me Be Your Wings

지오디 - 바람

[요]3:8바람이 임의로 불매 네가 그 소리는 들어도 어디서 와서 어디로 가는지 알지 못하나니 성령으로 난 사람도 다 그러하니라

여호와께서 이르시되 너는 나가서 여호와 앞에서 산에 서라 하시더니 여호와께서 지나가시는데 여호와 앞에 크고 강한 바람이 산을 가르고 바위를 부수나 바람 가운데에 여호와께서 계시지 아니하며 바람 후에 지진이 있으나 지진 가운데에도 여호와께서 계시지 아니하며

또 지진 후에 불이 있으나 불 가운데에도 여호와께서 계시지 아니하더니 불 후에 세미한 소리가 있는지라 (왕상 19)

바람이 불어와 예고도 없이 / 어디서 온 거니 소리도 없이
눈에 보이지 않고 / 잡을 수도 없는 것
처음부터 나에게 온 걸까 / 왜 마주친 걸까
내 맘 속에 바람이 불고 / 기억 속에 날 두드리고
보란 듯 들어와 하나가 돼 버려
섞이고 또 감싸고
날 안아버린다
두려웠을까 바람이 불 때
무서웠을까 난 숨어서
온 힘을 다해
몸 부림 치고 다시 쳐봐도
그 바람은 놀리듯
내 몸을 안아버린다
나쁜 기억은 아마
지워낼 수 있을 거야 바람아
더 세차게 안아줘 불어줘
그래 여길 벗어나자 바람아
바람소리 그게 내 심장소리

Frozen 2's Into the Unknown

God had been asking me for a new level of surrender that I was not used to, and I was having hard time letting go. Sometimes I wanted to avoid Him, fearful what He was gonna ask of me.. He brings me back, catches my attention, points out my disobedience and asks me to persevere (Heb 12, "catch the little foxes" from Song of Solomon, Book of Jonah). 

God reminded me of some Frozen songs this evening, and Holy Spirit convicted me with its lyrics:

I can hear you but I won't
[I] ignore your whispers which I wish would go away
You're not a voice; You're just a ringing in my ear
I'm sorry, secret siren, but I'm blocking out your calls
I've had my adventure, I don't need something new
I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you
Into the unknown

And He was calling me into deeper places, "into the unknown", into new levels of faith and intimacy (more on that here -- "come up higher, fly with me; soar like an eagle. I have so many great things for you, I want you to experience it all. Let go of things from the past; forget the former things, see, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it? Come away from the shore where you can stand on your two feet, come into the deeper waters where you have to be carried by me.").

[Are you someone] who knows deep down I'm not where I'm meant to be?
Are you out there? Do you know me? Can you feel me? Can you show me?
Where are you going? Don't leave me alone 

How do I follow you Into the unknown?

This resonated with Jesus calling me to follow him, leave my old ways behind and into something unfamiliar, not knowing what is ahead.

Is there an area where you are ignoring the gentle whisper of God? Something He is asking you to surrender? 

May we hear his voice when he says, "Follow me," and obey.