Inspirational

Ephensetical and Ephesiastical Thoughts (Revisited)

Posted on by lainamunoz

Please enjoy this revisited post from 15 August 2012, I know I (re)learned some things about living with the LORD and realizing how BIG my savior is. He has excellent plans for us and He also has commands for us to live out. He is good.

“As a prisoner for the LORD, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:1-2 (NIV)

Well, dang… The Gospel just cuts straight to the point there. Paul urges us to LIVE. Not to wait around or get by – but, to take the ‘todays’ and live them out in a manner that is worthy of what we have been called to. We’ve all been given titles and responsibilities that we don’t deserve, as well as given the chance to do our best with them. While we are doing all of that we are told to be completely humble, not just a little bit but with all of who we are. We are told to be grounded and to be level minded. I think the second verse here is completely to remind us to fight human nature – being patient and bearing together in love? Really?

((Yeah, because we all know we are naturally awesome at that…))

Again, this is grace – we use up what we should and then some and we are given another chance AND love and encouragement to try again.

We’ve been given to give it. We have been show how and told to repeat it and G-d’s gifts are the only way we can accomplish this. His love is SO BIG.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of G-d. Now to Him ((all of it… all praise and honor and glory that is in His son, let it be given to Him)) who is ABLE to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:17b-21 (NIV)

Thats a meaty mess of intensity.

(Thur. 19 Mar 2015) – G-d has been reminding me of this constantly lately. That He is ABLE to do more than I can imagine or ever think. He has so much good in store for me and His good is beyond my greatest thoughts. I’m learning how to receive, I’m learning how to ask and expect things from Him. His plans are always better and I get to be apart. I don’t want to step on my own toes and talk about what is rattling in my brain for tomorrows post… But dang. G-d is just good. (end)

G-d, I want to be able to grasp the bigness of Your love.

His words are wiser,

His ways are better. LORD, teach us.

Scrabit: Confidence

Posted on by lainamunoz

G-d, thank you for my housemates; You have blessing, provision and healing in store for them. You have favor, a calling and a complete plan for their lives – May I always pray over them in faith, watch in expectation and encourage them in love.

Amen. Let it be.

Jesus, change us this week open our eyes and hearts to new moments with You. Help us to give more than we knew we had in us and learn what we didn’t think we needed to know. You are powerful, holy and refining and my excitement is through the roof with what we will look like after two weeks of intense serving and seeking. Lord, bring a beauty that comes from walking with You. Bring a G-d-radiance that shows others we have been marked; that we have sat in Your presence. I am so excited that I don’t know what to expect, but take my expectation and blow it out of the water. Do what You do. Turn up and change us. Help us love You more.

 

Bible Thoughts:

“because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:5-6 (NIV)

My source of confidence comes from my Father in heaven ((and HIS goodness and faithfulness)). He has plans and I get to be apart. This confidence comes from spending time with Him and in His word. THIS Confidence says that He has a plan and even in the seasons I feel forgotten I can hold onto the promise that HE WILL CARRY ON THE GOOD WORK IN ME UNTIL COMPLETION. This isn’t just for my ideas of where I want to be, but this is a journey He will take me on until the day of Christ Jesus. G-d will move me forward and complete good work(s) in me, in my roommates, my friends and family until He comes back.

Praise Him. What good things He can do.

More Jesus Time:

“This is the confidence we have in approaching G-d: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” – 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

So alongside this confidence conversation…

Lord, when I bring my requests before You – You answer them. You answer me. Your word tells me so. You have perfect in Your plans and I want in. I want to be apart and I can have confidence in You that because of Your words – I will be.

Why pray if you aren’t going to believe that it will come to pass? And where does doubt come from anyway?

                       Old Age.

“If you have faith and do not doubt… you can say to this mountain, “Go throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” – Matthew 21:21-22 (NIV)

G-d, I’ve asked you to show up. I’ve asked you for hearts healed and mindsets changed and I believe You hear me. I know You see me and love me so now all I can do is praise You for what You will do and leave my expectations with You (Psalms 5:3). Teach me to speak Your word over my life and walk into the callings You have for me. Teach me how to love people with all of me. Guide my conversations and fill them with GRACE for I have been shown much. Lord, Create in me a mind that is productive and give me new revelations to give. I want to keep writing and keep commitments and watch You grow me and change me. I have a dream that LORD willing will come to pass but I need Your creativity. I NEED YOU.

((If you don’t show, I’m screwed.)) 

Why are my prayers important? *Because the Lord hears my prayers. Why do I pray for my housemates? *Because I get to live out the change with them. It’s a faith builder. I speak live and love into and over them and get to see a harvest of the Lords strength and ultimate plan come forth out of their lives. Some concluding thoughts: If you aren’t praying for your roommates, why the heck not? If you aren’t bringing some expectation to your days, why are you wasting your time living them? That sounds wicked boring… I’ve been there. If you aren’t approaching G-d with confidence then what happened where you stopped seeing Him as faithful? as just? as forgiving? as holy?

I never know who will actually read these or when they will read it or what season they will read it in. But I do pray every time that when and if you do come across this that it will be just what you need. Something to challenge you to expand your faith and draw you to the creators heart. But, these are only words. 

G-d, let me be useful. Let me be open to learning what you need me to and even more than that, let me share what I know with those around me. 

Scrabit: Art

Posted on by lainamunoz 

#ThinkBackThursday
20 October 2010

“Most artists can’t draw, but all artists can see.” – Roy Simmons

“He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Listen hard, but you aren’t going to get it; look hard, but you wont catch on.’ Make these people blockheads, with fingers in their ears and blindfolds on their eyes, so they wont see a thing, wont hear a word, so they wont have a clue whats going on and, yes, so they wont turn around and be made whole.”

 Isaiah 6:9-10 (MSG)

It seems like G-d might have wanted us to understand something here. Art isn’t just about ability; it’s about seeing what needs to change and creating something that can make a difference. And G-d’s art is to make us whole through giving us the vision to see what needs to change.

I was reading a delightfully short book by Seth Godin called Graceful where he took a full section to talk about Art. He defines art as this: “Art is anything that’s creative, passionate and personal… Art is a personal gift that changes the recipient.”

G-d’s art is revealed in the everyday continuation of what He started long ago.

“First this: G-d created the Heavens and Earth – all you see, all you don’t see” Genesis 1:1(MSG)

G-d was the original creator and the only one by which we may LEARN what He wants to do with our lives. The beauty of His art is there is still life yet to be revealed. Some things in creation we are still waiting on, there are things and colors in heaven that we still haven’t experienced ((and I cannot wait)). He set the heavens in place, His majesty is seen in all there is and He holds my heart and molds it everyday into something reflecting Him.

G-d is a passionate G-d, He is a compassionate G-d, a G-d who thinks about us and has purpose for us. He is a wonderful, powerful master who sees us in the state we are in and calls us His. He is a personal G-d who cared so much about the people He created that He sent His one perfect thing He had left – His son so that He might be reunited with us.

I can’t help but think through a few things…

First.     Are you letting G-d’s art CHANGE you? When was the last time you admired the sunrise or sunset and couldn’t focus cause the presence of G-d was so thick through your thoughts that you broke out in praise with your entire being?

2nd.     Are you letting G-d direct your art that He has for you? Some of you have read these posts and thought, “oh that’s nice, but I don’t have art to give”…how selfish… You have a gift that only you can give, you have an art that only you can perfect FOR HIM and you don’t care enough to search it out? Maybe it doesn’t look like messy hands from painting, or like a keyboard to type stories into. Maybe it looks like buying a bag of food a day and driving till you see someone who might need it? Maybe it looks like having a conversation everyday in which you remind someone of how much they mean to you? Possibly you could take 30 days to spend time perfecting listening to G-d? Maybe G-d has given you a heart for missions but you’re in a different season where you can’t leave yet? What if you were to passionately pray for a different location or people group for 30 days? What if you were to check up on the area to see what G-d was doing with your prayers?

“The more people you change, the more you change them, the more effective your art is… If there is no change, there is no art. IF no one experiences it, there can be no change.” –Graceful

What has changed around you lately? Have you inspired the change?

Scrabit: Posture

Posted on by lainamunoz

The fun thing about writers block is: deadlines. The only way to get unstuck while telling your story is to continue living.

I have been moved through various stances or postures over the last few years in my walk with Jesus and I’ve take them on as apart of my calling. I felt this was appropriate since it was G-d who was teaching them to me. The fall of 2013 was difficult for me, I was fearful to the brim and that began leaking into my relationships and life. Until one day G-d spoke to me, He began to push me ever so slightly in an invitation to move.

I found out quickly that the only way to walk past the fears that I had was literally to walk PAST them.

I was afraid of ministry, men and my calling. So He called me to jump. It was as if there was a ledge of opportunity in each area and all He wanted me to do was posture myself with my arms in the air in surrender; in a free fall straight into the things He had for me. I was challenged to jump to see if I could fly. I was curious if He would catch me. I signed up for our college worship team, I told a boy I liked him, I began again to sing. I literally felt like I was living my life in surrender, arms wide and high in the air and no way of getting back to where I was. I was to become more of who I was created to be:

a child of the King in full surrender. A kid who just wanted her Dad’s will.

Fast forward to moving back in with my parents. I was quite literally called ‘home’ by G-d. I looked for a place of my own and felt no peace about any of the beautiful apartments I was walking in – none of these were going to be my next place to grow. I had a calling on my heart to grow my relationship with my parents, which I thought was weird because I already had a relationship with them, but it was supposed to be more. G-d began taking me on this daily journey of being their daughter. He wanted me to learn how to lean on them and ask them for help. He wanted me to learn how to place myself sitting crisscross with my arms resting palms up on my legs.

The Lord was teaching me how to receive.

I had developed a lot of pride in my work growing up because I worked ALL THE TIME. I invested who I was and all of my days into what I was DOING. I had no room to allow my heart the ability to ASK. Receiving was awkward for me because I didn’t think I needed anything. If I needed something I would have just worked and got it myself but I stunted my growth in being a good daughter in this way. I didn’t know how to allow my parents the joy of being a parent… and I didn’t know how to be G-d’s kid.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:9-11 (NIV)

G-d needed me to learn how to be a child so that I could learn how to receive from HIM. It works both ways and I firmly feel He has been posturing me in this last season to receive.

And let me tell you, His goodness is great.

More recently; I’ll admit this has only been about two weeks – The Lord spoke to me about getting on my knees. It was during worship at Elevate, He whispered quietly and reminded me how holy and worthy He is and how much He deserves this honor. For lack of a better word I felt He demanded honor and who was I to not respect that? So we carried on with service while Cass Langton was speaking about what wears on our hearts and what burdens us. As she was speaking I began to realize that I too had a weight on me that I hadn’t noticed because I thought I was good. At the end of service she had us get on our knees and allow G-d to refresh us. There is something about getting on your knees that helps you really hear G-d. There is something honorable about seeking Him out while you position yourself to remember how holy He is. ((And dang, He is Holy.))

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord G-d Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come… Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him…” Revelation 4

I’m a writer; I’m ALSO a songwriter; I’m ALSO a people, so lyrics speak to me and get stuck in my head… Seryn puts this concept beautifully of what we find when we get on our knees:

On my knees I can see / where my heart needs to be

/ when this life gets to me / I’ll be found on my knees /

Lord, may I be found in your presence on my knees

 Now, if I may propose one last position – this is a position of BOLDNESS. Boldness is a position because a stance is a movement. Boldness moves you forward, boldness sticks you out and boldness is a noticeable posture amongst a crowd of followers. We are the leaders of many in the next generation and the only way we will show the light of the King is by a mark of confidence that can only come from G-d. I want to position myself to always be bold, I want to live in the position that if G-d doesn’t turn up, then I’m done.

I want to live out faith even when I can’t understand, love even when I’m struggling to do it well, hope even when there isn’t a way I can see. I want to live out fearlessness because my victor is a King.

I want to live out who I KNOW I am being called to be. My stance is active because in a world where you have something to say you will always have something speak against you. We become a moving target when we are sitting deep in the message of Christ. We are the beginning of open season for the attacks the devil might have for us but greater is He that dwells inside of me than who the devil even thinks he is.

I’m still learning how to live out all of these positions but G-d has and is calling me to physically MOVE myself into these postures so that I might feel the full surrender, learn to accept all the wonderful things G-d wants to impart on me. He wants me to seek and find him sitting in respect for Him as HE refreshes me and He is calling me to do all of this boldly before the throne with a confidence…

that HE HEARS ME.

HE SEES ME,

And HE LOVES ME.

Thank you Jesus.

Sometimes you just gotta move.

The First Step in Failure : Scrabit Genesis

Posted on by lainamunoz

#ThinkBackThursday –

So, a lot of you will be new to my writing and ‘story’ if you will… Therefore, I’ve dedicated Thursdays to reflecting back (for you and for myself) on things I’ve previously written. One of my FAVORITE scriptures growing up was Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” The revelations and realizations you get from the Father aren’t just for your now: They are for your tomorrow, they are for the future and they are for you to always remember. With that, please enjoy this post I wrote on 26 September 2013:

I actually can not do this alone, I’m afraid of failure in the deepest part of me and I need help. You see, I’ve been numb and I’ve held back so many tears that some of you believed I was strong, and maybe I even convinced myself I was. The closer I get to adventure the more my heart wants to jump out of my body and run straight to it. But this body literally trembles at what could happen if I fail.

But child, I am bigger than your failures… EVEN the tasks you haven’t attempted.

I’m not good at failing because most of the time I’m too afraid to try things I know I’m not good at, so I don’t. My life is in a funny spot right now because there keep being things that I’m unsure of and all I can hear is “Jump, you might fly” so I’ve been jumping and forgetting to breathe. Also not beneficial. But now I feel like I AM in this free fall and there is no going back. I can’t get back to the top of the building because I wasn’t ever supposed to stand there. I’ve begun to learn to let people in and to accept that I can be loved deeply and honestly. I’ve begun to trust that: even when I don’t know what comes next, I’m ok. It doesn’t mean that I have no dreams or goals – it just means I’m in the process of learning something vital for the next season, or something I need to share with someone else for this next season. What blows my mind is the people who believe in me while I don’t know… They truly are the most patient people I know.

And G-d, how patient and kind you have been with me though there isn’t a thing I could do to deserve it.

   I was sitting at a park the other day and saw a man with his dog. They were playing catch but the man would direct the dog to start running even though he still had the ball in his hand. And the dog ran. It wasn’t until the dog was about halfway to his destination that the man would throw the ball. The dog just had to obey even though if I was the dog I’d feel crazy for running after something that wasn’t there yet. But his master knew the entire time what the plan was and instructed the dog accordingly. Seriously, sometimes I swear animals are smarter than we are… and so much more trusting. I wish that I obeyed like that, following when I don’t even see what I’m running towards, heck, even when there literally ISN’T anything I’m running towards. I’ve developed fears, both real and irrational about where I’m going in life. I make myself sick over what is coming up in life and for what? G-d takes care of the birds and how he loves me.

There is nothing as reassuring as the Fathers love.

     I long for more somewhere in my innards, I believe there IS more. It takes a creative mind to look past what others would view as ‘the end’ and realize it is only another beginning. We are given SO many chances to start again and this time it has to be all or nothing. This is my free fall. This is my potential failure. If I jump I HAVE to fly.

I am not brave

I’m just throwing myself out in midair to see if G-d would grab me

Looking over the edge isn’t enough anymore.

     Fear of failure and fear of living has crippled me. G-d, take away my fear so that YOU can heal me.“Nothing cures fear faster than action.” So I’m moving and trying to take action against what I’m afraid of… some of these actions are easier than others, I’m getting to the more difficult ones for sure. My stomach ulcers are proof of that.

     “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. “Be strong and courageous.”

Hey kid, let go.

Joshua 1

         “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your G-d is with you wherever you go.” WHEREVER I go… everywhere. Lord, you’ve been with me and will go with me. Thank you. G-d, You know me – You’ve been there with me at all times and have told me to be brave because of no other reason than the fact that You are here. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.

         “The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.” Psalms 19.9

G-d, to fear You is pure, not painful or crippling. A Holy reverence that can set me free and make me whole. And once I know You let it be forever on my heart.

         “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me on paths of righteousness for his names sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalms 23

         :: And I will call upon Your name and keep my eyes above the waves, when oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace for I am Yours and You are mine. Your grace abounds in DEEPEST waters, Your sovereign hand will be my guide, my feet may fail and fear surround me… You’ve never failed and you wont start now.::

         I no longer know how to fight fear other than take action against it. I want to jump, I want to walk on the waves keeping my eyes on YOU. I heard G-d and He didn’t say no. Sometimes it’s about what He doesn’t say. Point is I heard Him. I hear the Father.

         “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its root by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. The heard is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”  Jeremiah 17.8-9

The LORD searches the heart and examines the mind.

         “Rejoice in the LORD always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to G-d. And the peace of G-d, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praise worthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4.4-8

         Always– every situation and through all things I will rejoice in G-d. My anxiety has been terrible lately and my patience sucks. I’m not sure what exactly to do or what I can do but something needs to change. I don’t want to live the next season of my life like this. So, what do You want to do? How do I hear You now?
                           Please be my strength.

sometimes I’m jealous of the kid on Home Alone, “I’m not afraid anymore”

Second Notch Creativity

Posted on by lainamunoz

For a good bit of my teenage and young adult life I’ve been on a “Creative Team”. There has been a small thread of creativity in all that I’ve done for as long as I can remember: 30 day art challenges, creative writing classes, being in a band and writing music, writing words and trying to make them sound good, arts and crafts at miscellaneous classes growing up and trying to paint when I’m bored. What is funny is that the thread I have found is not any bit of matter that I can find in the make up of me. The creative stitch in my life is simply the Creator showing off in me. Being on a creative team scares the hell out of me (metaphorically, ironically and a little bit literally) because making something out of nothing seems impossible – much less creating something out of my thought process.

Terrifying.

But, I keep being placed on these teams which grounds me back into my roots, calling on G-d daily in this process of trying to create. I am not creative because I am but because HE IS. I can create because I was made in the Creators image (Genesis 1:27). I can come up with ideas because He is good and shares and has placed them in me to give. I am wrong sometimes, and this might be one of those times but I believe in a G-d who gives to His people when they have a willing heart to give to His people. Does He give more than we need? Absolutely! Abundantly! Is it given when we are stingy with our gifts? Eh, why would it be?

Lets break this down:

Construction of the Tabernacle

30Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hus, of the tribe of Judah; 31and he has filled him with the Spirit of G-d, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, 32to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. 34And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twinned linen, or by a weaver – by any sort of workman or skilled designer. Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the LORD has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the contraction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.”

Exodus 35:30-35; Exodus 36:1 ESV ((wait, read that again))

Lets take a look at some very important things:

  • I can ALMOST pronounce every name in this passage of scripture

  • I use Exodus in an example

  • I am proud of both of those things

  • I don’t see how I could add to the depth of this scripture so I’m going to point out a few things I believe you all have already seen. Because this is my blog and you are reading it so we get to act like I’m teaching something.

Onward from that, this passage is Moses (clearly) telling the story of the construction of a tabernacle; G-ds dwelling place. G-d chose and called by name a man and filled him with the Spirit of G-d. There was, again, nothing inside of this man apart from G-d that was creative.

It was the Spirit of G-d IN HIM

Not only did the LORD fill him with creativity but also with skill to put that creativity from brain to paper to gold. The LORD gave him intelligence not only to know how to create but to know how to finish, also I believe the LORD gave him intelligence for respect among his people to be a leader who can carry out this calling. G-d gave him knowledge… this is cool. He didn’t have to go rent and read “Holy Dwellings for Dummies” the LORD supernaturally and superSpiritually imparted him with KNOWLEDGE to know what he was doing. And lastly to Bezalel he gave ALL CRAFTSMANSHIP not some craftsmanship (skill in a particular craft), not even a fine amount of craftsmanship (being really good at a particular craft), but the LORD gave him ALL (He is abundantly, overwhelmingly more than we can ask or think). I have been to a decent amount of cathedrals and FAAAAANCY churches and I can only think about this story and what a dwelling place of the most high G-d would look like with such heavenly disclosure of creativity. Mmm, glory.

And this is where it gets really exciting for me. G-d has placed me in the creative stream here at Hillsong College and I’m in love. But, I’m also broken because my heart longs for the pastoral side of life. I love caring for people’s hearts and believing in their dreams, I love writing, teaching, preaching and speaking. I love sharing my heart and you can’t always do that in a 4-minute song. “And He (G-d) has inspired him (Bezalel) to TEACH…” Bezalel was given the opportunity to mix the intelligence and knowledge that came alongside the creativity in the Spirit of G-d to GIVE all that he knew to two more men, and they too were given G-d’s Spirit and creativity.

          Lord, you are the one I’m seeking. I’ve been placed in positions that I cannot do without you and I never would want to try. I want your Spirit to not only live in me but also live through me. I want to be obedient in the little things, sensitive in the creative callings and teachable so that I may teach. I can’t apologize for wanting it all because it was You that knit these desires into my heart in the first place. Bring it on G-d; the challenges, the obstacles and the opportunities to learn a little more about listening. Lord, let me teach and see more in them than they do. Let someone else grow through my life being a blessing to them and a cultivating personality for their gifts. May I work in accordance with what You command.

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Psalms 139:14 ESV