Things I Learned at His Hill

Hi there feiend,

It's already been a few months since I left Texas and His Hill. Since then, I have been working hard to finish my Bible school classes online. I officially graduated last week. I've had a lot of time to think and reminisce about my time in Texas hill country and everything I learned on that blessed hilltop. I'd like to share with you some of the life-changing lessons I picked up there.

1. It takes God in man for man to be the man that God made man to be. This phrase was forever etched into my brain. It was something that we were told at the very beginning of the year but was repeated and driven home throughout the year. When God made humans He made us to have HIs Spirit dwell within us. We were designed to live in harmony with God. Yet, our sin separated us from Him. The only way for us to be the people God designed us to be is to allow the spirit to live in and through us. "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him," says Romans 8:9. 
2. All means all. So, often we make exceptions and excuses. But when God-in His word-says all we must take it as all. We must take His word as face value to mean exactly what it says unless proven otherwise. Another way to put it is , "Literal until proven metaphorical". One guest speaker would say, "what does all mean?" and we would all repeat back "All!" I am reminded of this every time I see a verse that has definitive words such as 'all' or 'none' and I often circle them to be reminded every time I read it. Mark 12:30 says, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."
   
3. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." This verse was repeated again and again throughout the year by multiple different teachers. We were constantly brought back to the fact that it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me. I will forever associate this verse with His Hill. I am so prone to forgetting and so often have to be reminded that as I live my day to day life it is not I who lives it but I must allow Christ to live it through me. I need to be reminded that whatever I do and wherever I am I "do all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
4. For this I have Jesus. I faced some challenges while I was at His Hill. But, I was constantly reminded of this phrase. Others told me this and I told myself this so much that I decided one day to write it out, cut it out and put it above the door going out of our dorm so that every time we went out we could see it and be reminded that no matter what we're facing we have Jesus for it. We have Jesus for the moments in which we are scared, anxious, or angry. We have Jesus for uncertain and unknown times. We have Jesus for the beautiful and joyful things. No matter what life looks like I can confidently say that for this we have Jesus! Knowing this gave me so much peace and comfort and confidence. We have Jesus for this moment right now.
   
5. My life is Christ. As the year went on I learned that Christ isn't just an important or big part of my life. He is my life. I would not be here without Him. I wouldn't be who I am without Him. I wouldn't thrive or truly live without Him. He doesn't just give me strength. He is my strength. He doesn't just give me peace. He is my peace. He doesn't just give me wisdom or comfort or love or joy. He is all those things. He is all those things and He lives in me and so I have all those things living in me too.  Deuteronomy 10:21 says, "He is your praise". Isaiah 12:2 says, "God is my salvation." 1 Corinthians 1:30 says He "became to us wisdom". Ephesians 2:14 says "He Himself is our peace". 1 John 4:16 says, "God is love". And to finish it up, Philippians 1:21 says, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." May I never forget that Christ is my life!
6. Yet not I but through Christ in me. If you've never listened to the song with that title I would urge you to do so. It's a beautiful song that we sang often at His Hill and I am so glad that we did. Tears have been shed to this song because in my days of weakness it reminded me that I wasn't alone. I didn't have to be strong. But, Christ is strong in me. One line says "the night has been won, and I shall overcome. Yet not I, but through Christ in me." It reminds me in times of pride that it's not about me, what I can do, or be. But, it's all about Christ, who He is, and what He has done. Three verses that hold this same sentiment is Philippians 2:13 which says, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." and 1 Corinthians 15:10 which says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me  did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." and lastly 2 Corinthians 3:5 which says, "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God."
   
7. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible. I can't remember exactly who said this first but it's so true. We so often turn to commentaries and sermons and articles to tell us more. And that is all okay! Sometimes we need a little help and guidance. But, the Bible is sufficient! It contains all that we need and so as we're reading the Bible we need to remember that the Bible is it's own best commentary. Unsure of a verses meaning or application? Try looking into what the rest of His word tells us! It's kinda beautiful that all we need to know God is contained within these pages! It can be daunting but it is also so rewarding, refreshing, comforting, encouraging, and freeing.
8. Context, context, context. These are the three rules of Bible study. How often do we take a verse out of its context? We read it on its own and assume it's meaning. But if we would just read the surrounding verses we might make those mistakes less often. Also, I realized that we as gentiles (non-Jews)miss so much when we're reading the Bible! It's simply because we don't understand the cultural context in which the Bible was written. If only we pay attention to who a book was written to we can clear up some misunderstandings too. So many beautiful things are in the Bible that only those who know Jewish culture get to see. This is where those commentaries come in handy. They can help to reveal the things that hidden between the lines.
   
9. Repetition equals emphasis. One of the most helpful and practical classes we had was Bible Study methods which was right at the beginning of the year. I used what I learned in that week throughout the whole year and continue to use them in my own personal studies daily. One of the things that I learned was that repetition in the Bible means there's an emphasis being put there. Isaiah 43:25, Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12, Hebrews 10:17 all repeat a phrase along the lines of "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." This was something that I, personally, needed to have repeated to me again and again as I was dealing with some things. 
10. My sins were buried with Christ. One guest speaker once said something that has just stuck with me. When Christ was on the cross He was bearing all our sins. Every sin past, present, and future were laid upon Him in those dark hours. Every filthy thought, selfish act, and hateful word from every human for all time He took for us. And when He died He took those sins to the grave with Him. But when He rose again three days later He was no longer carrying them. He left them in the grave. Who am I to dig up what Christ has buried? Who am I to go back to my sins which He has paid for? Who am I to wallow in self-pity and shame for things that He has already forgiven? He buried it so leave it in the grave. This truth was so incredibly freeing for me. And the amazing thing is that even if you aren't a follower of Christ as you're reading this your sins are already paid for! They're already buried! Al that's left is to accept the beautiful, simple, freeing gift that the Father is handing you. When we face the Father in Heaven will He be welcoming home a son or will He be crying as He says farewell to a stranger? "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God," says John 3:18.
    
11. My life verse is Habakkuk 3:18-19. One teacher introduced to us the concept of having one or more life verses. This is a verse that you can quickly turn to in times of struggle. It's like a lifeline for when you feel yourself drowning in life. This is the verse that I have had on my heart for a few years but segmented it as my life verse this past year. I turn to it in times of fear or temptation or weakness or anger or sadness. I have a few other favorites that I often turn to as well. But, this is my number one. Verses 17-19 is the whole section that I read but 18-19 is the part I have better memorized. It says, "Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places." It reminds me that whatever I am going through, whatever is happening in the world God is still God and I can praise Him. I can praise Him when I am scared or frustrated. It reminds me of who I am praising, the God of my salvation! He is the one that saved me! It reminds me that He is in control and has a plan for me. He will guide me and strengthen me. Another verse I've turned to in times of turmoil is Exodus 33:14 which says, "And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." This one reminds me That God is going before me and that He will give me rest. I don't have to make rest for myself but He will give it to me. So, that's my life verse. I would love to hear what you're life verse is. I have a few of my friend's life verses marked in my Bible and I'd love to add some more!
12. The meaning of life. Throughout every class, everything always came back to God and I believe the rest of life is the same. I believe that the meaning of life is actually quite simple; to know Christ and to make Christ known. We were called to know our father, read His word, worship Him, speak with Him. We were also called to tell the world of Him, love others, put them first, and reflect the character of God. It's not about us and never was. It's all about Him and always will be! This has made my approach to life so much more simple. I don't have to try to please people, make a name for myself, gain wealth, or pursue pleasure. All I need to do is to seek to know my heavenly father better and to help others to see Him for who He really is too. This affects absolutely everything we do in life! It affects the education we wish I pursue. It affects how we treat others, It affects or attitudes and actions. It affects the way we speak and dress. It affects what we read and watch and listen to. So, please, join in the beautiful and narrow path that we have been called to. Hunger to know God better and find pleasure in making Him known to the world.

I learned so much more during my months at His Hill and I would so recommend to anyone to spend some intentional time like this just getting to know God and His word better. It doesn't matter how old you are, what your background is, or where you're from. God wants you to get to know Him better. He wants His children to know Him. I hope that today I got to impart on you just a little of what I learned during these past months. They were hard and they were also beautiful. They caused me to cry and also to laugh like never before. They were simple yet so freeing. That's all I have for you this week. But, I will see you again next week for my annual birthday blog post! Until next time,

Darcy-Rea