I Want to Cultivate Inner Beauty.

1 Peter 2:21-25 (The Message)
21. This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
22. He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss.
23. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right.
24. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing.
25. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.

Last night, God used an extra-ordinary 17 year old boy from one of the high schools in my area to speak directly to my heart. When I was asked to come and hang out at a 5th Quarter with a bunch of teenagers, I never once thought that I would be the one that the Father would choose to work within. Today, I am amazed at the things/people that the Father uses to speak truth, and to show you areas in your life that you may not be completely content with or surrendering completely to Him! The question I am trying to answer now, Why wasn't I listening before now? The Father has been there all along to guide me step-by-step.
Let me tell you about this fella. Travis is a one of a kind man. He could pass as the class clown, class stud, and all around just a popular guy. He is a memeber of Ashford United Methodist Church where my best friend Joe Steen serves as Minister to Students. Travis came to know the Lord 3 years ago at a lock-in. He's your "typical teenager" who never realized just how much he had going for him until he heard Joe teach from the scriptures above. Now, you can say that Travis speaks truth, knows scripture better than I (may I remind you I've take 4 Dr. Jumper classes and for OT and NT classes, so I have no excuse) and is determined too offer himself daily to Christ. This young fella has no greater desire but to follow Christ and faithfully work to bring others into the kingdom. We gathered in a room, about 50 or more teenagers, had a rockin good time jammin out with the band "Desperation", and had a wonderful time being taught from the scriptures by Travis.
I'm sorta lost for words. I want to explain to you in exact detail everything that the Father used this young man to share, but there's really no time for all of that.Everything he had to say hit me like a ton of bricks. I know for a fact that the words coming from Travis' mouth were not his own, but those of the One who knew just what I needed to hear. Travis did an amazing job, as nervous as he was. He offered the gift of salvation so openly, but yet allowed those listening (classmates and adults) to know that salvation does not come without suffering. Indeed it is a gift that can be freely recieved, but it not something you recieve and use as you would like. It's a gift that is for eternity. He asked the question, Why must suffer in order to become stronger in our faith, and responded , we must suffer for the sake of Christ. Why? Because Jesus first suffered for us and it is our responsibility to do our very best to live our lives as an offering to Him. Not just sometimes though, it's an ALL the time kinda ordeal. When Jesus was hanging on the cross being called unmentionable names, being spatt on and beat until blood began to pour from His sides, he not once complained. He took it like a man. A REAL MAN! He knew that his suffering would be so benefical for those who accepted the call to Salvation. He would suffer the pain and brutality of our sins so that we would never have to go through the things that he had. He suffered so that when we suffer now, we know that we don't have to suffer alone. He bore it all for us many years ago, and now he's here with us holding our hands and allowing us to rely on Him for help. I'm not real sure where I was going with this, but maybe it'll make sense to you. It made ALOT of sense to me, and was evidentally what I needed to hear to get my act together.