Religion

What’s It To You?

Posted on by lainamunoz

Lately in college life and in my own thinky-thoughts we’ve gathered around the ‘D’ word;

The Topic of Discipline.

In class with Aran Puddle this last week we broke into the importance of keeping an organized and ordered life (and not using the ‘creative excuse’ of being built a certain way and unable to participate in such nonsense). The uncomfortable facts of growing up and doing ministry is that a portion of those you study ministry with will have nothing to do with Jesus by the time you’re finished learning about Him. At first this was a massive concern for me because I the only thing I could reckon was that this was a random school yard pick of who would make it and who would decide they can and will do whatever comes there way. Then the longer I’m in and around this I’m finding it’s absolutely the opposite; it isn’t a school yard pick of who will stay but rather a choice of nothing but the individual deciding to pick the path that will keep them.

            This comes from the discipline of reading the Word.

There is no magic pill. It is waking up and spending time with G-d, being in His word, and asking the Spirit to reveal what it means to you. I wonder sometimes if we treat our time reading as an afterthought instead of a need. I know for myself, sometimes I wake up and have little desire to get myself quiet and focused but then I realize that in daily time and the little progressions and the getting into the Word even when it may feel like I am learning little to nothing is what is going to ultimately change and keep me. No time with G-d returns void and for that I’m so thankful. I don’t have to work up my emotions or overthink in my Jesus time, I can simply be hanging out with Him and listening or just enjoying the fact that He is there.

I get really frustrated when I spend a few days in the same area of my Bible and realize I’m not catching anything that it’s putting down and then I remember a few things:

1) What I’m doing now is setting me up for the future I want of being an old 75 year old grandma who the entire family knows that I know the Lord.

2) “I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.” – William Carey, I can continue. I can do the little by little so I really need to stop beating myself up for the days I don’t get it. I know that the next day I’ll be there again ready to try.

((I’m not ever trying to be better than you, I’m trying to be better than the day before.))

But, this all makes me wonder, how do I really treat the Word of G-d? Is it negotiable in my life or is it the very lifeblood I’m leaning on to make it through the day? Do I hide it in my heart and meditate on it? Or do I let it sit on the side of the road getting destroyed in the storm?

While walking to the gym the other day I saw just that, a children’s bible, page by colorful page every few yards on the ground as I went along the road. I have a bit of an imaginative brain so I naturally write stories in my head of things and people that I see so I couldn’t help but wonder if the child ever had a chance to read their bible before they misplaced it. I wonder if it was left outside on purpose or if the parent tried to get rid of it? I wonder if it was a gift for someone hoping it would bring them a little closer to the savior. My brain always reels but the simple fact is that the bible I saw despite how it got there was simply not cared for. We see that as Christians and think, ‘huh that’s a shame’ but are we any better with our bibles sitting on the coffee table collecting dust? I don’t want to leave this. I don’t want to be one of the students who graduate and forget all they know about the body of Christ. I want to be solidly following and anchored into this spot. I was reading about anchors in preparation for this, I was reminded of our over quoted verse in Hebrews about hope being the anchor for the soul, but I’m not sure if I understand the context of that scripture and if it even really relates to Bible reading… So I’ll leave that verse there and instead tell you what I learned about anchors.

            Anchors are the connections that boats or watercraft rely on so that they can stay in one spot through wind, current, or storm. Anchors can be temporary or permanent. (oh – that’s awful)

While I’m not sure if that verse is relevant to this I do still agree that our relationship with G-d is absolutely our anchor in the storms of life. The terrifying part, back to the people you know now who love G-d who will slowly lose interest is that there ARE temporary and permanent anchors… Yeah, they might be solid now but they are using the correct anchor. Using Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday chapel as the anchor will only last the week; it’s temporary. Using Sunday services and mid-week services as an anchor will only last temporarily. It won’t hold. Of permanent anchors Wikipedia says – “These are used where the vessel is permanently or semi-permanently sited, for example in the case of light vessels or channel marker buoys. The anchor needs to hold the vessel in all weathers, including the most severe storm, but needs to be lifted only occasionally, at most – for example, only if the vessel is to be towed into port for maintenance. An alternative to using an anchor under these circumstances, especially if the anchor need never be lifted at all, may be to use a pile driver into the seabed.”

What anchor are you chucking out right now? Are you in this for the long haul only to be lifted for repair? And when you do need repair are you letting Jesus handle it? Dig deeper in your relationship with the Father and make yourself immovable you have things to learn and a position you need to stand it.

            So what’s the Bible to you?

Super reliable scholarly articles with information that I used:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor
The Bible

What I Didn’t Mean To Learn

Posted on by lainamunoz

Random comforting verse of the week: John 21:25 (NIV)

“Jesus did (many) other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

I was reading Acts this last week and when I had first started and was getting into the meat of the first two chapters I found myself looking back through the verses a few times. One of the last times I came back to the beginning of Acts I had a great revelation, it’s just that the revelation wasn’t on what I was actually reading. The verse previous caught my attention from earlier in my life when I felt the need to mark underneath these words with black ink.

We find this verse at the very end of John, after he had written about all that Jesus had done in His lifetime here on earth. After the birth and journey to protect the newborn King, after the unaccounted years of being a preteen and a teenager. ((I wonder if Jesus found any girls attractive growing up? Honestly, I bet He found everyone attractive growing up, He didn’t see people when He looked at people. I have to assume He saw the image of G-d.)) We find this verse after Jesus’ adventures in carpentry and all of His time in the temple learning the Holy Scriptures. We find it after He calls the disciples and travels with them. After He feeds the crowds, heals the sick, brings the dead back to life, casts demons out, turns water into wine, sees the blind receive their sight (pun intended), the leper’s healed and restored, people comforted, women given their dignity back and many others impacted by love. We read this verse after the betrayal by one of Jesus’ companions, after He was beaten and at no point cursed those who spit on Him. We read this after He was handed over to be crucified and after He had passed away.

After He rose again, after He sent us out.

AFTER all of these things and many more it tells us that Jesus accomplished so much that if every one of them were written down we wouldn’t have room for the books of His goodness and faithfulness on this earth.

It really got me thinking, if I spent my life just writing about what He has done for ME I wouldn’t have room on the Earth to brag enough. My blog posts would be so long my mom might not even read them. The internet would break.

But, that’s slowly becoming all that I want to do. Man, if I could just sit with people and tell of His faithfulness… if I limited my story to JUST HIS FAITHFULNESS we’d still be here all day. If I spoke of nothing but His grace I would run out of breath before I got to the depth. If I only told you about His love for me you’d be as heartbroken as I am over what I’ve been given.

I suppose that’s where they come up with songs like, “I could sing of Your love forever”. Or maybe that’s how the angels and elders in heaven never could ever get sick of singing “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord G-d Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8 KJV) I lately have been dreaming of the day that I get to sit before the throne and sing with them. I wonder what melody they’re singing. I wonder if everyone sings the same thing or if its a compilation of everyones individual songs. I still think whatever it is, that it’s beautiful.

This verse – along with peaking my wonder – gives me such a comfort in knowing that I can do my best for my entire life and it still won’t be enough, nor will it be too much. I can’t exhaust the name or holiness of Christ. I can’t speak or write or sing enough and even when I have filled my lifetime doing, so I can still do more. This scripture was just talking about Jesus’ life on earth, and now we have 2000+ years more of the impact that He left and what it has done for each of us. I don’t have to be weary in wondering what I will continue to write about. There is no limit to His goodness and for that I literally am eternally going to thank Him. 

((These thirty-three words have just done me in this week. Christ is eternally good. Remember that.

Hillsong Conference 2015

Posted on by lainamunoz

I won’t go until You bless me.

Coming soon


pardon me while I bump out and process. 

It’s hard to talk about anything other than this last week, there is so much to think through and process and just meditate on. So… a few blips that I learned this week:

  • Pastor Brian – “There is power in our words, when we confess the great things G-d has done and what He is going to do – things happen. Faith has a tone and a sound so confess good, speak life.” Have conviction in your words “Does G-d give you His spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Galatians 3:5
    What are you confessing? What am I confession? What am I believing for? I’m believing that G-d will do what He said He would and surprise me and take care of me and provide when I don’t know how and do unusual miracles and heal my heart. What am I confessing? I’ll take Joseph Princes’ words and say, “I am the righteousness of G-d through Christ Jesus” and reminding myself that I have worth and that I serve a G-d of abundance so not only do I have enough, I have more than enough. He sees me as more than enough. If you aren’t speaking life, change your confession. Is my confession the same of Christ?
    “Line up your confession with the Word of G-d”
  • Pastor Someone-Who-Spoke-At-Conference – “Until you get comfortable with silence you will never hear the voice of G-d… Stop waiting for a voice and start looking for a verse”
    I’ve known these thoughts for a while, it’s just becoming even more apparent that my season is going to need some serious alone and focused time. Time disconnected and silent before G-d. He has things to tell me. Do I ever disconnect long enough?

    I heard this as I was walking through the hallway at conference turning in attendance and getting my second breakfast, I missed that morning session but was still praying that G-d would say something to me. He told me that I need to learn the silence, which is terrifying for me and something that He’s brought up with me before I just still suck at it. It’s just becoming more and more obvious that I need to sit and wait and sit more.

    Just sit

  • Pastor Joseph Prince – “G-d is not unrighteous to forget your hard work and labor of love”

    that was just good. G-d sees you. He hasn’t forgotten about you.

Honestly, G-d just keeps uprooting stuff in my life to clean out and reminding me of passions that I’ve had longer than I realized and promises He’s made that I can’t let go of. Conference was long and rewarding and tiring and beautifully refreshing. I think it was another one of those times I wish I could just sit down with each of you and a cup of coffee at Shades of Brown in Tulsa, Oklahoma and ramble. And the other half of me is still trying to understand what G-d is doing. Le Sigh.

((Thank you Jesus for this opportunity to love people and learn more about you

Me, Myself, Martha and Mary

Posted on by lainamunoz

Real Talk

It’s always Real Talk

I swear I re-write these like a billion times.

I have such a Martha heart sometimes. I don’t believe by any means that we are saved by works, or by what we accomplish but I sure keep myself busy instead of sitting at the Fathers feet sometimes. I always think it’s a novel idea to sit and listen but then struggle with feeling lazy. It’s one of the many mindset changes I’ve been praying for this semester in school… To not have the attitude of Martha who was upset when her sister wasn’t just as busy ‘doing’ as she was. I don’t want to live distracted. I couldn’t imagine that getting to the end of your life could be worse than not even realizing you didn’t live because you were busy being distracted.

I want to worship and commune with Jesus – I’m just highly distractible and move around way too much and phone way too much and mindlessly interwebs way too much.

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

I had a day at home over this week and realized how much time I had to just sit with Jesus, and I was really excited about it. I thought to myself, “dang, I can get so much reading and writing and revelating (not a real word) done today! How awesome will that be?!” and then I cleaned the kitchen, and my room, and vacuumed and watched YouTube. We all get busy either from jobs or from life but we don’t all have to get cluttered. You know, the unnecessary amounts of things that we do that aren’t entirely productive. I’ve always been like that though, too busy to think clearly. It’s slowing down and breathing that I’m not good at.

Hillsong Conferences’ theme is “Speak: We’re Listening” which couldn’t be more seasonal for me. So naturally I’m expecting a lot. But a large part of this for me is going to be learning how to sit at Jesus’ feet and take in and listen to what he is saying. I think it’s really easy to get distracted with the preparations and at that, the things that really do HAVE to get done. But what is better? What is needed?

Just one thing. 

Mary chose what was better. There is nothing else. There is no time more valuably and costly spent than time with Jesus. Not only that, but Jesus told Martha that it wouldn’t be taken away from her. All the time she used wasn’t wasted and it wasn’t going to be removed. It wasn’t a lack in her life but it was the best decision she could have made. Time with G-d can’t come back void. I believe I’ve written about that before or if I haven’t now I have. If you’ve had a RealTalkTuesday with me lately I’m sure I’ve preached that to you. It’s something I absolutely need to hold onto right now. Even when I don’t see or feel the change I need to believe it.

((Honestly, I just have a lot to learn.))

Dead Man, Wake

Posted on by lainamunoz

I wrote this sometime around 18 years old – The majority of it is scripture and what the Word was speaking to me at the time. I hope you enjoy the read!

You know those portions of scripture that stand out and slap you in the face SEVERAL times before they finally decide to sit down?

G-d word – His scripture is:

“G-d-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness,

(O.K. children, lets finish the sentence)

so that the man of G-d may be thoroughly equipped for every GOOD WORK.”

(2 Timothy 3.16-17) Don’t you dare take that out of context.
Now that we have that down…

(I’ll just go ahead and say this, if you’re not willing to SEARCH the scriptures and read it with an open mind to G-d… don’t even bother to continue to read. I’d be insulted for my G-d’s sake if you kept reading.)

John 11.1-44
“The Death of Lazarus
1Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.

(WHOLE DIFFERENT SCRABIT I COULD GET ON)

3So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.
7Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?”
9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. 10It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”
11After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

((I have to know that I can only be joyful when your faith in G-d is dependant on Him and not on anything that I could do. I have to know that G-d is higher than me in ALL ways, and that for you to have a personal relationship with Him is far more important than you thinking that I’m ANYTHING in the kingdom. I am broken and frayed; I am an ever-reaching human who will only ever strive to see my full potential. I only by G-d’s grace and mercy am able to see the light of each passing day, and given opportunities in those days to see the glory of G-d work through someone like me. I DON’T understand a G-d who loves me that much that He would allow me to take apart of His plan. But In G-d I Trust and In G-d I WILL Live.))

16Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters
17On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.18Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?“

((Sometimes we have to ask ourselves… “Do you believe your Bible?” Legitimately, what are you looking for when you check off your chapter-a-day? What do you expect G-d to open your eyes to as you read? What are you seeking? Are you seeking or is it just your Christian-Cookie-Count that you need to keep up?))

((Jesus said,, “I AM”))

27“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ,[b] the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
28And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.

((G-d, be our teacher. YHVH be our guide when we don’t know which way to go… Martha realized who she was with, she told Mary that the TEACHER IS HERE AND IS ASKING FOR YOU… Mary got up quickly and went to Him! G-d is looking for people to equip, He wants to see His children respond quickly to Him and listen to His instructions… When the teacher is looking for YOU will you go out and meet Him? Will you find exactly what He needs you to do and put actions to what you KNOW He is asking of you?)) ((This is about where the scripture decided it wasn’t done with me yet… G-d is looking for me… G-d is looking for you. Will you respond?))

30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34“Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35Jesus wept.

((Jesus was moved to such compassion over His dead friend that He cried. The savior of the world wept over His friend that He knew had to go through death. “G-d has a deep, emotional and sympathetic love for you and others” – Firebible note 11.35))

36Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.

((Jesus was moved to the place where Lazarus was laid… His compassion led Him to the place where others left him for dead. Jesus came to my tomb… Jesus wept when I had to die (spiritually) because I simply wouldn’t believe. I didn’t understand, or didn’t care. I let myself become sick and for the glory of G-d, His timing came perfect. He showed His compassion and power through the resurrection of Lazarus… He came to the tomb where everyone else just claimed he had no life left inside of him. Jesus was deeply moved, for me, and came to my tomb when no one else believed I had anything to live for.))

It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39“Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?“

((No, just… WOW))

41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out,

((Is G-d calling the dead out of you? All of the times that you just want someone to believe in you, He is there calling you out of the place where no one else was willing to go. Truth is all of us are dead in some way or another. All of us have come to the brink of utter ruin, but only then do we see the master coming to where we were laid and given up on by men. Only there will we see the King of all kings come and weep before us because He so wants us to be alive. G-d so desperately wants us to be actively pursuing His will for our lives because it is greater than anything we could imagine. YHVH, you own us. Only you can call us from the dead and give us new life… Take off the grave clothes and let us go))

his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

((What are the old things that are covering you? Take off your grave clothes and lets see this new life G-d has called us to. Let us truly understand His compassion over us, His love over us, His calling over us. G-d, be in us, work through us FOR YOUR GLORY… if it’s not You, G-d, we don’t want it. Set us free with a new spirit. Call us out of the grave… YHVH even if it has been days, weeks, months, years that we have wasted in the grave… Let us be new.

Let us be yours. G-d, have compassion over your kids…

“Take back the years the enemy’s stolen…”