The shell

Polyurethane coating

Meant for protection and to preserve appearance. In time breaks down and becomes cracked and ugly, exposing the vulnerable corruptible surface underneath..

If I were the vessel needing protection it would look like this... I am vulnerable to the elements of this world. So I build a shell around myself to appear like I have my self together. Strong and beautiful and smart.

My shell breaks down by the beatings of life exposing the corrupt and  true selfish underneath.. It needs to be scraped away fully exposing the under side for repair and maintenance... This is where dead things are removed and rough edges are sanded down  healing salve/nourishing and rejuvenating is applied and then I can be covered with a true protectant, with Christ's lasting righteousness a covering of preservation and glory.. True beauty and strength and wisdom.

We can fool ourselves thinking we are good and right.  That we have something figured out. Sometimes we don't even know what lies underneath our shells.  Our father is faithful to expose the darkness and ugliness when we are willing to let him show us. He is also faithful to make us a clean and acceptable vessel that are good for much.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

Romans 12:1-3 NLT

http://bible.com/116/rom.12.1-3.nlt

“...as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.”

Ephesians 5:25-27 NLT

http://bible.com/116/eph.5.25-27.nlt

“If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.”

2 Timothy 2:21 NLT

http://bible.com/116/2ti.2.21.nlt

Remain in His Love

We remain in him by obedience... 

OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE...

Obedience is relationship by response. It is proof that you are alive and not laying dead like a branch removed from its source. 

Sacrifice is a disconnected - outward motion.. The heart is not exposed or tended. 

Where's the freedom in obedience? 

“Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”

Romans 6:16-18 NLT

http://bible.com/116/rom.6.16-18.nlt

Jn. 15:9-17 

Remain

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

1 John 4:18 NLT

http://bible.com/116/1jn.4.18.nlt

Remain and watch for his work...

The birth of PROJECT 418

Before my first trip to Haiti (October 2000) I was sitting in my room praying and a stirring a little bit.. My stomach was in knots.. I was in supplication... I was praying that God would show me that it was him leading me to Haiti and not just my desire to travel... I was a bit nervous..

I was reading the bible and praying and reading and praying... I ended up falling asleep in the state of prayer.. And I had a dream/vision.  I was standing at the very furthest point in Florida and the waters were all in front of me... The waters between me and Haiti were dark and treacherous. Have you ever seen the movie "perfect storm"? That's what it was like. I looked down at the shore where my boat was and it looked like the little brown boat from Dora the explorer ... I thought there is no way I will make it! Just then I looked up and saw this enormous foot step over me and into the water in front of me.. All of a sudden the great storm ahead looked like a little puddle that didn't even cover the top of this foot.. So, I look up and see Jesus. He says to me, "don't you know I've gone before you?" And I immediately had perfect peace.  Right then I saw what looked like a clock beeping as if the "numbers" flashing were the sound of an alarm.  The numbers on the clock in bright red flashed "Luke 4:18".  This flashing woke me up.. I got up and said Luke 4:18? I had no idea what it was.. So I looked it up.. ... And after I read it... I felt the presence of God all around me giving me perfect peace and a sense of duty.  

Years later when we met Caleb Lang. I came to find out his non-profit was called 61. So this sealed it in my heart that we were to connect with him. I'm glad we did.  Our relationship with him has been hugely influential to our current work in Haiti. 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18, 19 ESV)

We are moons

We are moons reflecting his light in the world.. 

When the world comes between us and the son it blocks him from being seen.

Let his light shine on me unhindered so that it is all that is seen.. Hidden by his grace.

Self discipline and his strength.

So my waking thoughts were on discipline and I asked.. How am I suppose to do this in your strength and not in the strength of my flesh.. This has been a struggle with in the desire to live a disciplined life. I don't want to glory in my flesh but only in his grace.. That his grace would be my strength. But that I wouldn't wait or expect  for him to do it for me.. Where is the balance. 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)

Strength.. He enables us to have strength.. We only need apply it.

... Utmost segment for today...

Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.

Contrast

Again my individuality

Again my excuses

Again my guilt

Again my disgust with myself

Always knocks

Always faithful

Always redemption

Always love

Contrast

Grace

Creation bows under the covering of your grace.. It cannot comprehend it.. Nor bear the weight of it.. In newness your glory shines through like light refracted and any touched by it and receive the flow of current are illuminated as well.

Immersed.. consumed.. Death is swallowed up by the light of men.