Sunday, February 20, 2011

ask, know, grow.

God's been watering me and it feels really good to feel growth and breakthrough. It's really kinda out of nowhere and through various, random ways He's been shedding light and truth in my life. Whether it be great church services, Circles discussions, Here and Now, the Word of Life, or just encouraging conversations; I've been seeing more of Him lately and gaining wisdom. Which is so sick cause i've been totally asking for wisdom. so there's two main things that i would say God has been revealing to me through the wisdom He has given: prayer & perserverance/endurance.

My prayer life has increased dastically and as a result, so has the peace (that's weird kind of exactly like Phillipians 4:6-7...hmm). Here and Now got me thinking about prayer. he wrote about how prayer keeps our eternal sight clear and when our eternal sight or our vision of Christ gets blurry, prayer makes it clear again. i've been applying this and have been experiencing what it's like to continually be in the mindset of prayer all day. I have invited God into my thought life and have been listening for Him more. It's really helped. Like a ton. I'm able to recognize spiritual attacks more easily, and sift lies from truth, and find joy in all things. most important of all i've been super content. prayer is a beautiful thing.

The second thing, perserverance/endurance comes from 2 Peter 1:1-11:

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

this passage is so boss!!!!!!

it spoke directly to me. His power has made it possible for us to be sanctified, in order that we would ESCAPE the corruption of this world. Then i love the snowball type deal he does in verses 5,6, and 7. Right now i'm right in the middle of the self-control/perserverance stage. i'm learning how to recognize desires of the flesh, ones that will give birth to sin, and appealing to the Spirit in me rather than dabbling with the desire. and then how to perservere with the mindset on a daily basis. it was really encouraging talking to my uncle (probably the most Christ-like person i know) about perserverence. He was telling me how now that spiritual battle will be going on the rest of my life, and how every single day he faces it. The enemy will do whatever he can to rob our joy. That's why its so important to "forget the past and press on towards the goal which Christ has called us to heaven for." It was awesome to see his daily perserverence and the results of it: lots and lots of fruit.

i think the key is one day at a time, one moment at a time, one battle at a time. and also, consistantly clinging to Jesus through prayer and the Word.

so that's whats up in my life right neow. thanks for listening :)

13 comments:

  1. this is so great, zach. you have a really great way of simplifying the Text to make it applicable. it's really helpful to me in that way. thanks. :)

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  2. i'm fired up reading this blog. you are such an encouragement, zach! prayer shifts our focus from what is going on around us to the hope we have in Christ. i've been seeing how the shift in focus gives me the perseverance to press on with joy despite my circumstances!

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  3. zach, you are such an encouragement. seeing the ways that God is moving and tranforming your life is rad. i loved the part about your prayer life and how God is showing up in it. pretty amazing what He can do when we allow space and time for Him.

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  4. Brandon said...

    Dude! Bomb.com! Great pick of verses and so biblical+cohesive!
    I think that 'one day at a time' is the best advice I've been given this past season (by Garrett's bro, Tommy) and it is so radical to live it out!! I'm so encouraged reading this and that God is constantly refining us to be more like HIM!! SO gnarly Zach and awesome that you have been revealed those things through communication with God in prayer. The ultimate telephone straight to the LORD!

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  5. I really like when you said you invited the Lord into your thoughts. I think that is so important. It allows you to give full control to God and be intentional about every single thing that you do. I am so glad to hear that the Lord is bringing you light and truth, hold on to that and pour into the lives of others. your bright, joyful attitude is very contagious zach! praying for you.

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  6. ahhhhhhh Mr. Hoffman, this is SO good. So boss :) lol. Seriously, I have been failing in my prayer life. I need to be constantly in communion with our SAVIOR. It is so good to hear the fruit that is coming from your commitment to a life of prayer and your search for being the man God created you to be, a man after His own heart. May you continue to be successful in this. I am praying against the attacks right now, stay strong, work through those growing pains, keep praising God, and keep on praying :) THANK YOU.

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  7. I loved the snowball type of deal there, too.

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  8. BOSS!!! This was some good reading! Thanks for sharing with us what God is teaching you =)

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  9. I love the part about self control/perseverance/endurance. That's something I'm definitely struggling with. Sometimes, things can almost seem impossible to overcome but like Peter says,

    "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

    Thanks for sharing these verses and tying them all together. Well written =)

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  10. When I'm really in tune with God, finding regular time to meet with Him and hear from Him in scripture and prayer, I feel like I'm walking around in some kind of force field. It's like nothing can touch me. It's just like you said, you see attacks from the enemy, temptaions, and lies for what they are. And you're also able to look at people, creation, circumstances and everything else and find incredible beauty. It's like seeing everything for the first time.

    Very encouraging, Zach.

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  11. My favorite encouragement from Elizabeth Elliot, " Do the next thing." whatever it is, as mundane or as routine as it can be, do the thing He has given you for this moment. And keep doing the next thing...
    All praise to His name. May you find encourgment and strength- through Him- as you persevere.

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  12. your first paragraph totally reminded me of this song line that i love, kind of about what it looks like to have that change take place in your life. he's talking to God and he says, "i used to wonder where you are. these days i can't find where you're not." such a beautiful thing.

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  13. Dude, sooo amped on your life right now!
    Amazing watching God transform and teach you.

    Thanks so much for the post. That verse was much needed!!

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