Luke 17:11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, l who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this s foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
The account of the ten lepers holds a simple theme that I have missed for a long time. Jesus is entering a village and the outcast lepers meet Him as He is about to enter. Their skin disease would define them as someone who is unclean and separated from the people until it passed or they died. They were referred to simply as lepers. Just like we are called Americans because we live in the US, their identity lay in the fact that they lived in an unclean body.
As Jesus approaches the village, they call Him master and ask for mercy. He tells them to go and show themselves to the priest. As they went they were cleansed and the life altering leprosy was healed. Jesus had instructed, they had obeyed and mercy was shown to all of them. Only one of them however turned back to worship Jesus. Only one in ten recognized His power and majesty and on fell on his face at the feet of Jesus. Turns out he was a Samaritan which would of made him the bottom rung of the least ladder as a leper - Samaritan.
So what do make of it as far as salvation goes? Were they all healed and saved? Were they all healed, but only one saved? It amazes me how confused we have become at trying to define who is a Christian or Christ follower and who isn't. Throughout the Bible the words "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul and strength and love your neighbor as your self" are used to define the faithful. Jesus tells the lawyer in the parable of the Good Samaritan that this is the key to eternal life.
So back to the account, how many are worshipping Jesus? Only one. Yes they are all healed as Jesus graciously works those miracles, but there is only one man who becomes a Christian as a result. The others may become one later, but they don't here as they consume the grace of Jesus and do not return to Worship the giver of it.
Now this is the key point for us as it is a danger in 2010 in America for us to do the same as the other 9 lepers and just consume Jesus's grace, but not worship the giver even though we may casually tip our hat to Him. There is a lot of common Grace that Jesus has shown America. Alot. If you don't believe that go and spend a couple of days in places like India, Iraq, West Africa and parts of Central America where life consists mostly of a hot, dusty struggle to live a short, dismal life. The question that we all must answer is, "are we worshipping Christ?" He has chosen to give us so much grace in this World it is baffling. Our flesh will make every attempt for us to just keep on moving through life, without ever returning to the feet of the one who gave it to us. The gifts and grace of Christ are ultimately just a scent trail back to the Giver so that we can thank Him and Glorify His goodness.
So what does your life attest? Are you glad to be at His feet in Praise, or on your own way busied by something else?
Friday, December 31, 2010
New Years resolution: Increased Faith
Luke 17: 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
It amazes me how my oldest two kids feel the need to be recognized for the smallest things. In their eyes, Titanic accomplishments such as putting their dishes in the sink, picking up their dirty clothes or eating the food on their plates deserves reward and praise. I think that we all battle that same issue in our spiritual lives.
Look at the exchange between Jesus and the apostles above. they want Him to increase their faith. Contrary to more contemporary practices Jesus does not whip us a calendared and ordered process to chart a course for so that the apostles hit different levels improving faith by expected dates. Instead Jesus has some pretty stiff words for them, and us all. Jesus asks the question "Will anyone of you that has a servant that is plowing a field or tending sheep that comes in from work tell that servant to kick back and relax and be served by the master?" His answer is no. He says the master will say to that servant prepare food for me, clothe yourself properly, serve me my meal and then you can eat. he then even takes it a step further and applies this to the disciples and us.....So you also when you have done all that you were commanded, say, " we are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty".
Oh how this strikes against our pride, desire to be known and the core of our self will. If we are out plowing sowing seeds of the Gospel for the kingdom, if we are making disciples by tending sheep and we get ready to bump into God in communion, we don't stroll into His presence chest thumping. We are awed by His presence, clothe ourselves with His righteousness, serve Him first through prayer and adoration and then we are able to be rewarded with the freshness of the Spirit. he does not pass out rewards, ribbons or speeches for our actions as they represent our obedience. What He does distribute is a greater faith for all who think it Lovely to promote Christ, serve Christ and praise Christ because you get to, not because you have to. It isn't a job, it is a Joy. Our reward is not man's tip of the hat, it is God's further revealing Himself to us. It is God's desire to pour Himself into those who enjoy pouring themselves out for Him, not seeking reward but only a greater Faith in Him. He is worthy.
So for 2011, my resolution is for a greater faith in Christ. That will come only as I obey Him, serve Him and praise Him for who He is and what He has done, and what he intends to do. It comes as I acknowledge that I am an unworthy servant made worthy only through Christ.
Will you join me?
7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
It amazes me how my oldest two kids feel the need to be recognized for the smallest things. In their eyes, Titanic accomplishments such as putting their dishes in the sink, picking up their dirty clothes or eating the food on their plates deserves reward and praise. I think that we all battle that same issue in our spiritual lives.
Look at the exchange between Jesus and the apostles above. they want Him to increase their faith. Contrary to more contemporary practices Jesus does not whip us a calendared and ordered process to chart a course for so that the apostles hit different levels improving faith by expected dates. Instead Jesus has some pretty stiff words for them, and us all. Jesus asks the question "Will anyone of you that has a servant that is plowing a field or tending sheep that comes in from work tell that servant to kick back and relax and be served by the master?" His answer is no. He says the master will say to that servant prepare food for me, clothe yourself properly, serve me my meal and then you can eat. he then even takes it a step further and applies this to the disciples and us.....So you also when you have done all that you were commanded, say, " we are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty".
Oh how this strikes against our pride, desire to be known and the core of our self will. If we are out plowing sowing seeds of the Gospel for the kingdom, if we are making disciples by tending sheep and we get ready to bump into God in communion, we don't stroll into His presence chest thumping. We are awed by His presence, clothe ourselves with His righteousness, serve Him first through prayer and adoration and then we are able to be rewarded with the freshness of the Spirit. he does not pass out rewards, ribbons or speeches for our actions as they represent our obedience. What He does distribute is a greater faith for all who think it Lovely to promote Christ, serve Christ and praise Christ because you get to, not because you have to. It isn't a job, it is a Joy. Our reward is not man's tip of the hat, it is God's further revealing Himself to us. It is God's desire to pour Himself into those who enjoy pouring themselves out for Him, not seeking reward but only a greater Faith in Him. He is worthy.
So for 2011, my resolution is for a greater faith in Christ. That will come only as I obey Him, serve Him and praise Him for who He is and what He has done, and what he intends to do. It comes as I acknowledge that I am an unworthy servant made worthy only through Christ.
Will you join me?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Empty Hands
Exodus 23:14 “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed.."
Exodus 34:20 "...and none shall appear before me empty handed"
Deuteronomy 16:16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.
It is ingrained in us that when we want to honor someone we bring them a gift, an offering of honor. We all know that you shouldn't show up at a wedding, birthday, or anniversary party without a gift to honor the one for whom the party is given. Is it possible that we have missed our daily honoring of God by passing by Him daily empty handed with nothing to offer Him?
In these passages from the Old Testament, God clearly instructs that No One will appear before Him without a sacrificial offering. Why? He is worthy of one. It is easy for us to say to ourselves that was in the OT, God doesn't care about all of that stuff now, it's all good. That would not be wise at all as God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He wants us to bring Him offerings, the key precept to understand is what that looks like in 2010.
I believe that the offering he wants me to bring before Him each day is a celebration of His once and for all sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. If we are willing to pray" God, lead me today so that my life will bring you Glory. Thank you Spirit for being my guide in that process" and then simply following His lead, our offerings will satisfy God. Only Holy offerings satisfy a Holy God. Any other religious work, outside the initiation and activation of the Spirit, is not pleasing. Why? He is after those that seek, listen and obey by faith, powered by the Holy Spirit.
All of the other major religions in the world have a step by step plan for salvation that humans attempt to earn by works. Christ alone is the only one who says " You can't please me, only my perfect life is worthy to be judged not guilty, and my undeserving death an atoning sacrificial act serves as the due justice of man's sins." If we are honest, this frustrates us at many points because we think we have so much to offer God, as we live privileged life styles. We think surely there is something that I can do for Him in my strength. I struggle with wanting to lead and not follow as I am a pretty hard charging fellow.
My goal each day is to be in prayer before God, not empty handed, but both hands on the plow share only looking forward to the people God desires me to infect with a passion for Himself that He gave to me.
Exodus 34:20 "...and none shall appear before me empty handed"
Deuteronomy 16:16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.
It is ingrained in us that when we want to honor someone we bring them a gift, an offering of honor. We all know that you shouldn't show up at a wedding, birthday, or anniversary party without a gift to honor the one for whom the party is given. Is it possible that we have missed our daily honoring of God by passing by Him daily empty handed with nothing to offer Him?
In these passages from the Old Testament, God clearly instructs that No One will appear before Him without a sacrificial offering. Why? He is worthy of one. It is easy for us to say to ourselves that was in the OT, God doesn't care about all of that stuff now, it's all good. That would not be wise at all as God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He wants us to bring Him offerings, the key precept to understand is what that looks like in 2010.
I believe that the offering he wants me to bring before Him each day is a celebration of His once and for all sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. If we are willing to pray" God, lead me today so that my life will bring you Glory. Thank you Spirit for being my guide in that process" and then simply following His lead, our offerings will satisfy God. Only Holy offerings satisfy a Holy God. Any other religious work, outside the initiation and activation of the Spirit, is not pleasing. Why? He is after those that seek, listen and obey by faith, powered by the Holy Spirit.
All of the other major religions in the world have a step by step plan for salvation that humans attempt to earn by works. Christ alone is the only one who says " You can't please me, only my perfect life is worthy to be judged not guilty, and my undeserving death an atoning sacrificial act serves as the due justice of man's sins." If we are honest, this frustrates us at many points because we think we have so much to offer God, as we live privileged life styles. We think surely there is something that I can do for Him in my strength. I struggle with wanting to lead and not follow as I am a pretty hard charging fellow.
My goal each day is to be in prayer before God, not empty handed, but both hands on the plow share only looking forward to the people God desires me to infect with a passion for Himself that He gave to me.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Made in the Flesh
Ephesians 2:11 There fore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcised" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands.
We live in a world and time in which you can do almost anything if you set your mind to it and have enough capital or credit backing. Our abilities enhanced by higher education, technology and innovation have empowered humans to accomplish almost anything that we have set our mind to, or at least we think. Even in some church settings, there is a thought that we are in control of many things, even our salvation. I will never forget a conversation with a friend a couple of years ago when we were discussing salvation and baptism. He stated that he was sprinkled with Holy water as an infant and that he had always been a Christian as the sprinkling kind of certified the Spirit's work, or something like that. Where do we get these types of ideas from? Certainly not the bible. If all we need is sprinkling then why does Jesus speak so in depth of abiding, serving, suffering and following Him? He is in control of our destiny, not us. Not our denomonations (including my own) and certainly not any of our actions can please God, only Christ's works can.
AW Tozer said that an unregenerate man can no more make His salvation than he can create the universe. Amen brother. Surely we have a responsive role to answer the call of Christ to follow Him, but all of the man made traditions and efforts to create practices that bring salvation are only man made shadows of the things of God.
Look at what Paul is speaking of in Ephesians 2. He is talking about being saved by Christ in verses 1-10. His oint is hammered home in verse 8 where he states that "for by grace you have been saved by faith, and this is not of your own doing, it is a gift from God." He also reminds us gentiles that we were on the outside looking in at those marked of faith with circumcision. Paul then sets the stage for Jesus's Divine work by reminding that the work of circumcision was done with human hands. Praise God that he continues and says that Jesus brought down the wall of hostility that kept gentiles out of the club so to speak. Circumcision is done with human hands, Jesus actions were done by God and are unable to be done or duplicated by man. We can not win or pay back God for our grace and mercy, and we certainly can not invent another way to please God. We have indeed all earned death with the actions of our hands. True salvation comes only through the work of His spike driven, bloody hands as He hung on the Cross. Our response is "Holy Holy Holy..Lord God all Mighty". Our hope is in the Glorified risen and healed hands of Jesus Christ.
So where is your trust? Does your confidence in salvation lie in a ritual? Does it lie in an orchestrated church event of any denomination? Or can you feel and sense the Holy Spirit leading, convicting and shaping you as you follow Christ?
We live in a world and time in which you can do almost anything if you set your mind to it and have enough capital or credit backing. Our abilities enhanced by higher education, technology and innovation have empowered humans to accomplish almost anything that we have set our mind to, or at least we think. Even in some church settings, there is a thought that we are in control of many things, even our salvation. I will never forget a conversation with a friend a couple of years ago when we were discussing salvation and baptism. He stated that he was sprinkled with Holy water as an infant and that he had always been a Christian as the sprinkling kind of certified the Spirit's work, or something like that. Where do we get these types of ideas from? Certainly not the bible. If all we need is sprinkling then why does Jesus speak so in depth of abiding, serving, suffering and following Him? He is in control of our destiny, not us. Not our denomonations (including my own) and certainly not any of our actions can please God, only Christ's works can.
AW Tozer said that an unregenerate man can no more make His salvation than he can create the universe. Amen brother. Surely we have a responsive role to answer the call of Christ to follow Him, but all of the man made traditions and efforts to create practices that bring salvation are only man made shadows of the things of God.
Look at what Paul is speaking of in Ephesians 2. He is talking about being saved by Christ in verses 1-10. His oint is hammered home in verse 8 where he states that "for by grace you have been saved by faith, and this is not of your own doing, it is a gift from God." He also reminds us gentiles that we were on the outside looking in at those marked of faith with circumcision. Paul then sets the stage for Jesus's Divine work by reminding that the work of circumcision was done with human hands. Praise God that he continues and says that Jesus brought down the wall of hostility that kept gentiles out of the club so to speak. Circumcision is done with human hands, Jesus actions were done by God and are unable to be done or duplicated by man. We can not win or pay back God for our grace and mercy, and we certainly can not invent another way to please God. We have indeed all earned death with the actions of our hands. True salvation comes only through the work of His spike driven, bloody hands as He hung on the Cross. Our response is "Holy Holy Holy..Lord God all Mighty". Our hope is in the Glorified risen and healed hands of Jesus Christ.
So where is your trust? Does your confidence in salvation lie in a ritual? Does it lie in an orchestrated church event of any denomination? Or can you feel and sense the Holy Spirit leading, convicting and shaping you as you follow Christ?
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Jesus, Savior and Judge
Jude 1:5 Now I want to remind you, although you once knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
It is Christmas morning and the kids are on a sugar high and in need of a nap. A rare snowfall outside reminds me of Jesus's pure sinless life, and conversely my not so stainless deeds. Christmas songs, meals with friends, stories and talk of stables, angels and wise men are every where in good ol' Alabama. Conversations with friends, family and strangers are dominated with travel and traditions with Jesus's birth tagged on as a necessary postscript.
This morning as I celebrate the joy of Christmas, I am burdened for others. For the 25,000 kids that will die today due to starvation and preventable diseases I have sorrow. For the millions of people who think that they have belief, faith and a relationship with Jesus when all they have is a factual knowledge makes my heart hurt. Jesus is good news. At least to those who are satisfied by Him and Worship Him. Look at the words of Jude to the believers in the first century. Jesus's work made a salvation possible for all of the Israelites, but those who did not believe HE destroyed. In this one verse we see the perfect mercy and perfect Justice of Christ demonstrated. We also see the Gospel truth of our desperate need for Christ to stand in our place before God. Sinful man in the presence of a holy God without Christ's blood atoning for our sins gives us the death we all have earned. So He desires to be savior to all, but will be judge and destroyer who refuse to praise and worship the God of Mercy.
I would ask each of you this Christmas a tough question. Do you really believe that Christ was born on Christmas to die as a sacrifice? Do you believe that their was a tiny baby that had the weight of the whole world and your eternal destiny on His shoulders? If you at the core of your heart believe that then I praise God for His grace so press into Him as we celebrate deliverance that Christmas symbolizes.
If those questions seem foreign or like a fairy tale I pray that He would draw you into His grace. Ask Him this Christmas to draw you into the Love and grace he offers.
It is Christmas morning and the kids are on a sugar high and in need of a nap. A rare snowfall outside reminds me of Jesus's pure sinless life, and conversely my not so stainless deeds. Christmas songs, meals with friends, stories and talk of stables, angels and wise men are every where in good ol' Alabama. Conversations with friends, family and strangers are dominated with travel and traditions with Jesus's birth tagged on as a necessary postscript.
This morning as I celebrate the joy of Christmas, I am burdened for others. For the 25,000 kids that will die today due to starvation and preventable diseases I have sorrow. For the millions of people who think that they have belief, faith and a relationship with Jesus when all they have is a factual knowledge makes my heart hurt. Jesus is good news. At least to those who are satisfied by Him and Worship Him. Look at the words of Jude to the believers in the first century. Jesus's work made a salvation possible for all of the Israelites, but those who did not believe HE destroyed. In this one verse we see the perfect mercy and perfect Justice of Christ demonstrated. We also see the Gospel truth of our desperate need for Christ to stand in our place before God. Sinful man in the presence of a holy God without Christ's blood atoning for our sins gives us the death we all have earned. So He desires to be savior to all, but will be judge and destroyer who refuse to praise and worship the God of Mercy.
I would ask each of you this Christmas a tough question. Do you really believe that Christ was born on Christmas to die as a sacrifice? Do you believe that their was a tiny baby that had the weight of the whole world and your eternal destiny on His shoulders? If you at the core of your heart believe that then I praise God for His grace so press into Him as we celebrate deliverance that Christmas symbolizes.
If those questions seem foreign or like a fairy tale I pray that He would draw you into His grace. Ask Him this Christmas to draw you into the Love and grace he offers.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
2 types of People
3 John 9:..Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority 10 So if I come I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.
11 Beloved do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself.
When you boil it down, there are two types of people. First John clarifies those two extremely broad categories in the life of two men who existed back in the first century. John also gives the markers of those men's lives and who it is that they follow.
Diotrophes
Markers:
1) Put Himself First
2) Did not acknowledge God given authority and wants to rule his way according to his rules
3) Talked wicked made up nonsense against others to elevate himself
3) Did not welcome and love the brotherhood..in fact he expels those that welcome and serve others.
Demetrius
1) Imitates good not evil; that is he humbly serves God and his brothers
2) His life's testimony is clearly revealing the Glory of Christ as he serves and builds others up in truth
So we have two people walking down two diverging paths. One patterned after Satan and one patterned after Christ. The big question is which person are you and which path are you walking down? It is a pretty important question don't you think? It is tough and it hurts I know, but it is something that we must face as the eyes of God watch over our souls.
A puritan prayer of self-deprecation from Valley of Vision.
O lord, My every sense, faculty, member, affection, is a snare to me,
I can scarce open my eyes but I envy those above me, or despise those below.
I covet honor and riches of the mighty, and am proud and unmerciful to the rags of others;
If I behold beauty it is to bait lust, or see deformity, its stirs up loathing and disdain;
How soon do slanders, vain jests and wanton speeches creep into my heart!
Am I comely? What fuel for pride!
Am I deformed? What an occasion for repining!
Am I gifted? I lust after applause!
Am I in authority? how prone to abuse my trust, make will my law,
exclude others enjoyments, serve my own interests and policy!
Am i inferior? how much I grudge others preeminance!
Am I rich? how exalted I have become!
Thou knowest that all these are snares by my corruptions,
and that my greatest snare is myself.
I bewail that my apprehensions are dull,
my thoughts mean, my affections stupid,
my expressions low, my life unbeseeming;
Yet what canst thou expect of dust but levity,
of corruption but defilement?
Keep me ever mindful of my natural state,
but let me not forget my heavenly title,
or the grace that can deal with every sin.
11 Beloved do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself.
When you boil it down, there are two types of people. First John clarifies those two extremely broad categories in the life of two men who existed back in the first century. John also gives the markers of those men's lives and who it is that they follow.
Diotrophes
Markers:
1) Put Himself First
2) Did not acknowledge God given authority and wants to rule his way according to his rules
3) Talked wicked made up nonsense against others to elevate himself
3) Did not welcome and love the brotherhood..in fact he expels those that welcome and serve others.
Demetrius
1) Imitates good not evil; that is he humbly serves God and his brothers
2) His life's testimony is clearly revealing the Glory of Christ as he serves and builds others up in truth
So we have two people walking down two diverging paths. One patterned after Satan and one patterned after Christ. The big question is which person are you and which path are you walking down? It is a pretty important question don't you think? It is tough and it hurts I know, but it is something that we must face as the eyes of God watch over our souls.
A puritan prayer of self-deprecation from Valley of Vision.
O lord, My every sense, faculty, member, affection, is a snare to me,
I can scarce open my eyes but I envy those above me, or despise those below.
I covet honor and riches of the mighty, and am proud and unmerciful to the rags of others;
If I behold beauty it is to bait lust, or see deformity, its stirs up loathing and disdain;
How soon do slanders, vain jests and wanton speeches creep into my heart!
Am I comely? What fuel for pride!
Am I deformed? What an occasion for repining!
Am I gifted? I lust after applause!
Am I in authority? how prone to abuse my trust, make will my law,
exclude others enjoyments, serve my own interests and policy!
Am i inferior? how much I grudge others preeminance!
Am I rich? how exalted I have become!
Thou knowest that all these are snares by my corruptions,
and that my greatest snare is myself.
I bewail that my apprehensions are dull,
my thoughts mean, my affections stupid,
my expressions low, my life unbeseeming;
Yet what canst thou expect of dust but levity,
of corruption but defilement?
Keep me ever mindful of my natural state,
but let me not forget my heavenly title,
or the grace that can deal with every sin.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Open Hearts
1 John 3:16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But f if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Most things in life are really pretty obvious. As a father of four, I now know that if a baby is crying and isn't sick or in need of changing, it needs to be fed. God designed it that way and it is obvious to those who look into such scenarios.
Having just returned from celebrating Christmas with my family in Honduras, where there is 70% unemployment and poverty and 54% abject poverty, God has reinforced some more things that are obvious. God used the scripture above to reinforce my convictions about caring for the marginalized, because they are His children and are made in His image. Looking at babies being raised in dusty shacks without a father, money, water, education or security breaks my heart and it should. This scenario is rampant around the world and is a result of man's sin.
Rampant, broken poverty is not how God planned for His created beings to be raised. He always has a victorious plan to overcome our sinful drifting away from His will. His plan to lift up our brothers and sisters is clear in the passage above and is initiated and activated by Christ. John is very clear and directly implies that if Christ is in you, you will not close your heart against those in need. He charges those that follow Him should not do so in an empty and stale religious role with only lip service, but in their actions that are an overflow of their awe with Christ! The bible is clear that He found each of us in our spiritual poverty and fed us because of His love. If we have Him and His love, we will act as He did. Our actions follow our salvation they do not create it.
Before Christ saved me at age 34, I was not as aware of the needs of the world as I am now. Why is that? I used to spend the majority of my life trying to make enough money to insulate myself and my family from it! I wanted to create a world within the world, were we would live in complete happiness as we travelled and enjoyed all that the world could offer us. If you read the end of 1st John chapter 2, you will see John's charge that anyone who loves the world and the things of this world does NOT have the LOVE of the FATHER. Pretty straight forward. Either we cherish Christ and his will or we cherish the world's temporary vanity and ignore the fact that many thousands of people die daily from preventable diseases and lack of food. His blessings are to be shared as we serve those in poverty.
Choosing to ignore the facts of what is going on in the world and God's plan to minister to it doesn't make it go away. Just like a baby that is lying in its crib doesn't stop crying in hunger just because you ignore it and hope someone else takes care of it.
Most things in life are really pretty obvious. As a father of four, I now know that if a baby is crying and isn't sick or in need of changing, it needs to be fed. God designed it that way and it is obvious to those who look into such scenarios.
Having just returned from celebrating Christmas with my family in Honduras, where there is 70% unemployment and poverty and 54% abject poverty, God has reinforced some more things that are obvious. God used the scripture above to reinforce my convictions about caring for the marginalized, because they are His children and are made in His image. Looking at babies being raised in dusty shacks without a father, money, water, education or security breaks my heart and it should. This scenario is rampant around the world and is a result of man's sin.
Rampant, broken poverty is not how God planned for His created beings to be raised. He always has a victorious plan to overcome our sinful drifting away from His will. His plan to lift up our brothers and sisters is clear in the passage above and is initiated and activated by Christ. John is very clear and directly implies that if Christ is in you, you will not close your heart against those in need. He charges those that follow Him should not do so in an empty and stale religious role with only lip service, but in their actions that are an overflow of their awe with Christ! The bible is clear that He found each of us in our spiritual poverty and fed us because of His love. If we have Him and His love, we will act as He did. Our actions follow our salvation they do not create it.
Before Christ saved me at age 34, I was not as aware of the needs of the world as I am now. Why is that? I used to spend the majority of my life trying to make enough money to insulate myself and my family from it! I wanted to create a world within the world, were we would live in complete happiness as we travelled and enjoyed all that the world could offer us. If you read the end of 1st John chapter 2, you will see John's charge that anyone who loves the world and the things of this world does NOT have the LOVE of the FATHER. Pretty straight forward. Either we cherish Christ and his will or we cherish the world's temporary vanity and ignore the fact that many thousands of people die daily from preventable diseases and lack of food. His blessings are to be shared as we serve those in poverty.
Choosing to ignore the facts of what is going on in the world and God's plan to minister to it doesn't make it go away. Just like a baby that is lying in its crib doesn't stop crying in hunger just because you ignore it and hope someone else takes care of it.
Monday, December 6, 2010
What is Truth?
John 18:37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him."
About once a month, I turn on Fox news or CNN to see the "news". I am usually frustrated by what I hear. For the vast majority of the discussions, there are people on opposing sides of politics, issues or ideologies battling over the hot topics of the day. What is amazing is how opposing sides use "truths" like slanted statistical work and expert economists to prove their point and establish their version of truth. The only problem is that the opposing side has a different set of stats and different experts that they believe firmly plant the truth in their corner. Most of these discussions end with each side yelling at each other to look at the facts, and the moderator saying we are out of time when the person they agree with the most gets in their best shot. It makes me wonder: Does any body really know what truth is?
Pilate in His examination of Jesus asks this same question. What is Truth? The irony of the situation is tense. Pilate is talking to The TRUTH. The only TRUTH. Pilate is interested and knows that something large is at work as the Jews are trying to kill an innocent man. He senses scandal and he is trying to figure out who or what to believe. Pilate makes one huge mistake.
Pilate turns away from Jesus. He leaves the truth and walks outside to the Jews. Christ is proclaiming the Gospel to him, but he is not listening. He is too busy trying to fix the situation. He wants to do his job, appease the Jews and get back on with life. With the way, the truth, and the life in human flesh ministering to him, he thinks it best to turn away and go haggle with the Jews outside. What a tragedy.
The tragedy of turning from Christ and Truth is not limited to Pilate by any means. There are many people who would even call themselves Christian today who don't believe the FULL Gospel. They would argue that the bible isn't real, Hell isn't real and that a Loving God would not ever Judge any one. They would tell you God exist as a partner that fuels their dreams of a better life, and is acccepting of all sins and understands our need to sin. There are other people who think that "we need to make Jesus more saleable in today's culture". They try to rationalize the miracles, commonize the salvation and make everyone feel good about themselves. In various different ways, many people have heard the Gospel and turned away from it. Like Pilate they have tried to negotiate their own safe middle ground. They have tried to be the judge of "What is Truth" themselves and establish that as religion in their lives.
Truth is this: God alone is Holy and righteous. We have been separated by Him by our sins. Following Christ alone out of our sins, and into life as we wage war against sin is the only way to escape a certain coming death as He alone is supreme. Death and judgement are certain. The Gospel is an urgent Truth that needs to be communicated with a passion.
Please do not turn away from the Truth if Christ as savior. Don't modify him to fit your life. Praise Him and His Truths.
He is the Yes and Amen!
About once a month, I turn on Fox news or CNN to see the "news". I am usually frustrated by what I hear. For the vast majority of the discussions, there are people on opposing sides of politics, issues or ideologies battling over the hot topics of the day. What is amazing is how opposing sides use "truths" like slanted statistical work and expert economists to prove their point and establish their version of truth. The only problem is that the opposing side has a different set of stats and different experts that they believe firmly plant the truth in their corner. Most of these discussions end with each side yelling at each other to look at the facts, and the moderator saying we are out of time when the person they agree with the most gets in their best shot. It makes me wonder: Does any body really know what truth is?
Pilate in His examination of Jesus asks this same question. What is Truth? The irony of the situation is tense. Pilate is talking to The TRUTH. The only TRUTH. Pilate is interested and knows that something large is at work as the Jews are trying to kill an innocent man. He senses scandal and he is trying to figure out who or what to believe. Pilate makes one huge mistake.
Pilate turns away from Jesus. He leaves the truth and walks outside to the Jews. Christ is proclaiming the Gospel to him, but he is not listening. He is too busy trying to fix the situation. He wants to do his job, appease the Jews and get back on with life. With the way, the truth, and the life in human flesh ministering to him, he thinks it best to turn away and go haggle with the Jews outside. What a tragedy.
The tragedy of turning from Christ and Truth is not limited to Pilate by any means. There are many people who would even call themselves Christian today who don't believe the FULL Gospel. They would argue that the bible isn't real, Hell isn't real and that a Loving God would not ever Judge any one. They would tell you God exist as a partner that fuels their dreams of a better life, and is acccepting of all sins and understands our need to sin. There are other people who think that "we need to make Jesus more saleable in today's culture". They try to rationalize the miracles, commonize the salvation and make everyone feel good about themselves. In various different ways, many people have heard the Gospel and turned away from it. Like Pilate they have tried to negotiate their own safe middle ground. They have tried to be the judge of "What is Truth" themselves and establish that as religion in their lives.
Truth is this: God alone is Holy and righteous. We have been separated by Him by our sins. Following Christ alone out of our sins, and into life as we wage war against sin is the only way to escape a certain coming death as He alone is supreme. Death and judgement are certain. The Gospel is an urgent Truth that needs to be communicated with a passion.
Please do not turn away from the Truth if Christ as savior. Don't modify him to fit your life. Praise Him and His Truths.
He is the Yes and Amen!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Affliction
2 Corinthians 1:8 For we do not want you to be ignorant brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.9 Indeed we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely on God and not ourselves.
Step back and take a big picture look at how God has worked through the ages. The faithful have worked through afflictions, challenges and risks and God has delivered in ways that are beyond man. Way beyond man. God intentionally allows us to come to th eend of ourselves in order that we may come to Him more fully, seeking a greater dependence.
When you look at what Paul is saying in the verses above, it is clear that he thought he was going to be killed in Asia. The affliction that he felt wass for one purpose: to make he and his brothers in Christ rely on God and not themsleves. There focus was not on circumventing risk, mitigating it, or all together condemning it. Their focus was on following the God who can not take risks because He knows all times and all things before, during and after they happen. Paul states later in verse 10 that "On Him we have set our hope".
When I look at my own life, I can see a growth in my own faith as I look at God and not the affliction, challenge, pain, overwhelming task or hard road ahead. I also can see vast room for improvement in the same area as I often rely on myself and not God to figure it out. I need to pray more, praise more, proclaim more. I need to allow faith to change me in any circumstance as God has ordained them in my life and stop focusing on my ability to alleviate the circumstances.
The great men and women of faith in the bible looked at life altering risk dead in the eyes and said "My God is much bigger than this". That is faith. My hope is that God will grow me in my faith and you in yours. That will only become real as trials, afflictions and challenges are overcome in our lives, as our theology becomes a real and active fabric of our hearts as we walk by Faith and not by sight.
Step back and take a big picture look at how God has worked through the ages. The faithful have worked through afflictions, challenges and risks and God has delivered in ways that are beyond man. Way beyond man. God intentionally allows us to come to th eend of ourselves in order that we may come to Him more fully, seeking a greater dependence.
When you look at what Paul is saying in the verses above, it is clear that he thought he was going to be killed in Asia. The affliction that he felt wass for one purpose: to make he and his brothers in Christ rely on God and not themsleves. There focus was not on circumventing risk, mitigating it, or all together condemning it. Their focus was on following the God who can not take risks because He knows all times and all things before, during and after they happen. Paul states later in verse 10 that "On Him we have set our hope".
When I look at my own life, I can see a growth in my own faith as I look at God and not the affliction, challenge, pain, overwhelming task or hard road ahead. I also can see vast room for improvement in the same area as I often rely on myself and not God to figure it out. I need to pray more, praise more, proclaim more. I need to allow faith to change me in any circumstance as God has ordained them in my life and stop focusing on my ability to alleviate the circumstances.
The great men and women of faith in the bible looked at life altering risk dead in the eyes and said "My God is much bigger than this". That is faith. My hope is that God will grow me in my faith and you in yours. That will only become real as trials, afflictions and challenges are overcome in our lives, as our theology becomes a real and active fabric of our hearts as we walk by Faith and not by sight.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Asking the wrong Questions
1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
How much alcohol can I drink? How much of my money should I give? How much craving of sex is too much? How much of my time do I have to give God?
If I had a nickel for everytime that I had thought or heard on of these questions asked I would be a very wealthy man. It seems that we are alltempted by the strong power of sinful self gratification, even after we have been born again in the Spirit. I know persoanlly that my own thoughts at times stray back to some of these same self focused questions.
If God has made one thing clear in my life it has been this: A Christian exists to bring Glory to God through the redemption of Christ, empowered by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. He has made much of Chad so that I can make much of Him, not so I can live a life of self satisfying, prosperous indulgence. Paul's words to the Corinthian church are clear. He is addressing them about sexual immorailty, envy and drunkenness. He tells them they are focused on the wrong thing. They were all focused on themselves. He reminds them that they were redeemed with a price. They were purchased by Christ's blood to be a Holy part of His body. He calls them to leave self satisfaction and pour themselves out in self depletion so that Christ gets the Glory.
This price of our redemption is not to be undervalued. The work of Christ is an awesome thing. If you were to stand before God today and He were to ask you why you should spend eternity with Him, what would you say? If your first thought is anything having to do with You and not Christ, you might want to re-think.
If Christ alone is the redeemer and the sacrifice, He alone should be magnified in our lives, NOT US!
So what kinds of questions are you asking? How much this or that can I get away with?
Or are you following the role of a believer in Christ and asking God, "How can I make much of you today?".
How much alcohol can I drink? How much of my money should I give? How much craving of sex is too much? How much of my time do I have to give God?
If I had a nickel for everytime that I had thought or heard on of these questions asked I would be a very wealthy man. It seems that we are alltempted by the strong power of sinful self gratification, even after we have been born again in the Spirit. I know persoanlly that my own thoughts at times stray back to some of these same self focused questions.
If God has made one thing clear in my life it has been this: A Christian exists to bring Glory to God through the redemption of Christ, empowered by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. He has made much of Chad so that I can make much of Him, not so I can live a life of self satisfying, prosperous indulgence. Paul's words to the Corinthian church are clear. He is addressing them about sexual immorailty, envy and drunkenness. He tells them they are focused on the wrong thing. They were all focused on themselves. He reminds them that they were redeemed with a price. They were purchased by Christ's blood to be a Holy part of His body. He calls them to leave self satisfaction and pour themselves out in self depletion so that Christ gets the Glory.
This price of our redemption is not to be undervalued. The work of Christ is an awesome thing. If you were to stand before God today and He were to ask you why you should spend eternity with Him, what would you say? If your first thought is anything having to do with You and not Christ, you might want to re-think.
If Christ alone is the redeemer and the sacrifice, He alone should be magnified in our lives, NOT US!
So what kinds of questions are you asking? How much this or that can I get away with?
Or are you following the role of a believer in Christ and asking God, "How can I make much of you today?".
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Cut to the Heart
Romans 2:28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
What happens when the word of God is proclaimed faithfully? Are we happier, nicer or just better as a result? Do we go away after hearing thinking better of ourselves?
Most people would be amening and saying oh yeah!
That is not ever on record in the bible. Check out the reaction to the first Christian sermon in acts 2. What was the response of the people? Acts 2:37 says that they were "cut to the heart". After the word circumsized their heart and reshaped it with divine grace, they repented, were baptized and "there were added that day about 3,000 souls.
I want to be careful and clear so as not to confuse, but the bible is crystal clear about the Gospel cutting our hearts. It has to, as it surgically attacks and removes sin and claims a soul for a Holy Indwelling. Its as if the Gospel quite literally causes us a sharp pain, as we see our sin in the light of the Holiness of Christ and His Cross. Its not a happy feel good thing to think about, until your reshaped Heart praises the goodness of Christ. The Gospel seeks to cut us away from sin and mend us to Christ in love. That is what it means to be cut to the heart. That is what PAul is expressing in Romans 2 above and that is what New Testament Circumsicion is all about.
What happens when the word of God is proclaimed faithfully? Are we happier, nicer or just better as a result? Do we go away after hearing thinking better of ourselves?
Most people would be amening and saying oh yeah!
That is not ever on record in the bible. Check out the reaction to the first Christian sermon in acts 2. What was the response of the people? Acts 2:37 says that they were "cut to the heart". After the word circumsized their heart and reshaped it with divine grace, they repented, were baptized and "there were added that day about 3,000 souls.
I want to be careful and clear so as not to confuse, but the bible is crystal clear about the Gospel cutting our hearts. It has to, as it surgically attacks and removes sin and claims a soul for a Holy Indwelling. Its as if the Gospel quite literally causes us a sharp pain, as we see our sin in the light of the Holiness of Christ and His Cross. Its not a happy feel good thing to think about, until your reshaped Heart praises the goodness of Christ. The Gospel seeks to cut us away from sin and mend us to Christ in love. That is what it means to be cut to the heart. That is what PAul is expressing in Romans 2 above and that is what New Testament Circumsicion is all about.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Full Circle Restoration
Acts 16 35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
Down here in the South there are a lot of wrongs swept under the rug in the name of good old fashion southern grace. People just let things go by and leave wrongs unaddressed. There is a large void of speaking the truth in love, and I think our misunderstanding of Grace and restoration has a lot to do with that. We wrongly have believed that Grace just means we can keep on sinning and always have an out card. Grace from Christ is designed to save us from the penalty and power of sin in our lives. If our sins go unconfronted how can we be restored? Does not the Holy spirit convict us of sin, righteousness and judgement? Doesn't the Holy Spirit work through the mouths of the elect?
Look at what Paul does when the people that publicly beat and humiliated Him and Silas tried to just send them off without a face to face meeting so that restoration could occur. Doesn't Jesus teach us to turn the other cheek? Yes he does, for the sake of forgiveness. That does not mean acting like it never happened, but rather loving the person who wronged you enough to walk through the restoration process with them. If we think showing grace means allowing people who hurt others to walk through life unconfronted, it only ensures that they will continue to sin and hurt themselves, others and the Heart of their creator in the process. I wish we had the conversation that occurred between Paul and the magistrates on record, but I am sure there was a blend of stern Love and Warm grace that ministered to the hearts of the magistrates who condemned them while they where innocent. I would doubt that they thought twice about rashly condemning people who might be innocent and strike against the Heart of God found in Proverbs 17:15 " he who justifies the wicked and condemns the righteous both are an abomination to the Lord." So Paul does these guys a favor by confronting them and allowing both restoration and God like forgiveness and education to the will of God to occur.
Do you love people enough to truly forgive them and walk through the mess with them, or do you just sweep it under the rug and allow them to continue to walk in unconvicted sin? While ignoring the sin issue might seem on the surface an unselfish thing to do, it just might be one of the most selfish things we can do. Jesus and teh Apostles engaged people and their sin with teh Power and Hope of Christ's victory over it. They didn't walk around just acting like everything was fine while the world fell apart around it!
Down here in the South there are a lot of wrongs swept under the rug in the name of good old fashion southern grace. People just let things go by and leave wrongs unaddressed. There is a large void of speaking the truth in love, and I think our misunderstanding of Grace and restoration has a lot to do with that. We wrongly have believed that Grace just means we can keep on sinning and always have an out card. Grace from Christ is designed to save us from the penalty and power of sin in our lives. If our sins go unconfronted how can we be restored? Does not the Holy spirit convict us of sin, righteousness and judgement? Doesn't the Holy Spirit work through the mouths of the elect?
Look at what Paul does when the people that publicly beat and humiliated Him and Silas tried to just send them off without a face to face meeting so that restoration could occur. Doesn't Jesus teach us to turn the other cheek? Yes he does, for the sake of forgiveness. That does not mean acting like it never happened, but rather loving the person who wronged you enough to walk through the restoration process with them. If we think showing grace means allowing people who hurt others to walk through life unconfronted, it only ensures that they will continue to sin and hurt themselves, others and the Heart of their creator in the process. I wish we had the conversation that occurred between Paul and the magistrates on record, but I am sure there was a blend of stern Love and Warm grace that ministered to the hearts of the magistrates who condemned them while they where innocent. I would doubt that they thought twice about rashly condemning people who might be innocent and strike against the Heart of God found in Proverbs 17:15 " he who justifies the wicked and condemns the righteous both are an abomination to the Lord." So Paul does these guys a favor by confronting them and allowing both restoration and God like forgiveness and education to the will of God to occur.
Do you love people enough to truly forgive them and walk through the mess with them, or do you just sweep it under the rug and allow them to continue to walk in unconvicted sin? While ignoring the sin issue might seem on the surface an unselfish thing to do, it just might be one of the most selfish things we can do. Jesus and teh Apostles engaged people and their sin with teh Power and Hope of Christ's victory over it. They didn't walk around just acting like everything was fine while the world fell apart around it!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Too Unclean?
Acts 10:13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
Acts 10: 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but a God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean
Last year I was blessed to go to New Delhi, India to work with some Indian brothers in sharing the Good news of Christ. While the trip was the toughest 10 days of my life, it taught me many lessons I will never forget. Appreciating my Blesser and His blessings were made easier than ever after viewing chaotic darkness in 120 degree heat for 8 days. When I got back some weird things happened. I was asked by a close friend, "Why would you want to go to India?" as if I was crazy or something. People really did not understand that I went because God led me to go and tell of His son Jesus the Christ. What was simple obedience to the Great commission in my life was viewed by many as a crazy idea by most. They did not state this directly, but there dialogue and expressions gave away the fact that a bunch of Indians going to hell just weren't as important as their routines. What seemed to me as a no-brainer response to God seemed to them as a laughable waste of time. It seemed maybe they didn't put much value on the lives and souls of the people we ministered to. God does.
Peter went through this same battle in Acts 10. God clearly spells it out to Him and tells Him " I decide who is worth ministering to Peter, not You, and the gentiles need to hear about ME. Your job is to go when sent." You can almost hear the spiritual dialogue of the Spirit reminding Him of the only real cleanliness that Peter has was Christ's doing, not his own. Peter responded in obedience and people were saved as a result. Gentile people. People who society looked down on as unclean and worthless.
What is your view? Are you too clean, and too busy to hear God's call? Are there just some people who are so far beneath you that you are just too good to love them?
If that was Christ's heart, we would all be shut out as sinned has stained us all. I believe we all need to evaluate our hearts and do some hard core repenting right in through here.....
Acts 10: 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but a God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean
Last year I was blessed to go to New Delhi, India to work with some Indian brothers in sharing the Good news of Christ. While the trip was the toughest 10 days of my life, it taught me many lessons I will never forget. Appreciating my Blesser and His blessings were made easier than ever after viewing chaotic darkness in 120 degree heat for 8 days. When I got back some weird things happened. I was asked by a close friend, "Why would you want to go to India?" as if I was crazy or something. People really did not understand that I went because God led me to go and tell of His son Jesus the Christ. What was simple obedience to the Great commission in my life was viewed by many as a crazy idea by most. They did not state this directly, but there dialogue and expressions gave away the fact that a bunch of Indians going to hell just weren't as important as their routines. What seemed to me as a no-brainer response to God seemed to them as a laughable waste of time. It seemed maybe they didn't put much value on the lives and souls of the people we ministered to. God does.
Peter went through this same battle in Acts 10. God clearly spells it out to Him and tells Him " I decide who is worth ministering to Peter, not You, and the gentiles need to hear about ME. Your job is to go when sent." You can almost hear the spiritual dialogue of the Spirit reminding Him of the only real cleanliness that Peter has was Christ's doing, not his own. Peter responded in obedience and people were saved as a result. Gentile people. People who society looked down on as unclean and worthless.
What is your view? Are you too clean, and too busy to hear God's call? Are there just some people who are so far beneath you that you are just too good to love them?
If that was Christ's heart, we would all be shut out as sinned has stained us all. I believe we all need to evaluate our hearts and do some hard core repenting right in through here.....
Monday, November 8, 2010
Fire in You
Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire"
Have you ever noticed how much coaches talk about fire? Seems that when teams lose the coaches always reason that,"There was just no fire in the belly of my team, we were not ready to play". When coaches win they talk about how the kids were so ready and fired up to play that the coaching was easy. Even cheerleaders know the need to "Get fired up". I think we all know that if our team shows up "not fired up" in a tough game they will lose and many times badly.
Why do we not sense that as deep in our walk with Christ? He came to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. Yes I understand that the fire and Spirit are for cleansing and sanctifying us, but clearly the bible points to the fact that we are sanctified so that we are to be lights for Christ, and passionate ones at that. The idiomatic dictionary defines "a fire in your belly" as being ready to fight with energy and determination for what you believe is right. Do you do that for Christ?
When you look at the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of only 120 believers with fire in their bellies turned the entire city of Jerusalem upside down. Here in my home city of Birmingham there are thousands of Churches, yet the net effect on our culture seems small and fading.
Why? I believe we are fired up about the wrong things.
We all need to stop and ask ourselves one thing: Is Christ's baptism with the Spirit and fire working its way through me? Do I have a fire in my soul for Christ or is it for something else?
If we are not fired up about Him, do we know Him?
Have you ever noticed how much coaches talk about fire? Seems that when teams lose the coaches always reason that,"There was just no fire in the belly of my team, we were not ready to play". When coaches win they talk about how the kids were so ready and fired up to play that the coaching was easy. Even cheerleaders know the need to "Get fired up". I think we all know that if our team shows up "not fired up" in a tough game they will lose and many times badly.
Why do we not sense that as deep in our walk with Christ? He came to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. Yes I understand that the fire and Spirit are for cleansing and sanctifying us, but clearly the bible points to the fact that we are sanctified so that we are to be lights for Christ, and passionate ones at that. The idiomatic dictionary defines "a fire in your belly" as being ready to fight with energy and determination for what you believe is right. Do you do that for Christ?
When you look at the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of only 120 believers with fire in their bellies turned the entire city of Jerusalem upside down. Here in my home city of Birmingham there are thousands of Churches, yet the net effect on our culture seems small and fading.
Why? I believe we are fired up about the wrong things.
We all need to stop and ask ourselves one thing: Is Christ's baptism with the Spirit and fire working its way through me? Do I have a fire in my soul for Christ or is it for something else?
If we are not fired up about Him, do we know Him?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Whatcha saying?
John 7:18 The one who speaks on His own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him is true, and in Him there is no falsehood.
Each night I lay down to pray and talk with my kids. Eli is now four and loves pirates, so lately I have been working in some tales of old pirate Red Beard sailing the Caribbean in search of Spanish Gallions full of gold. A couple of nights ago, he attempted his first stab at telling a Pirate tale. It basically went something like this "Apona once time there Red Beard and scooby doo said happy Halloween. Star wars came and they jumped off the ship and redbeard got lost. The end."
It is amazing how much kids imitate their parents. Eli's confusing story was simply an attempt to mirror me and my bad Pirate accent. He just turned four, so he gets a pass on blabbing off some confusion. I don't think we get that same pass as adults.
Read through the passage above and listen to what Jesus is saying. He basically says that He is sent to bring Glory to God and is speaking based on that authority. He goes further to say that anyone who doesn't speak by a God endowed and empowered authority is seeking his own glory, not God's.
That should stop us dead in our tracks when we see our churches filled with members, and even some preachers who don't know the Bible, or choose to ignore the Bible and instead believe that their opinions are more important than teaching the word of God, which has a 100% backing by God as being invested with God's authority. It is only when we are seeking to Glorify God will we care about what He has to say about Himself and His Creation. When we are seeking to Glorify ourselves we will speak on our own authority, which quite frankly seems as silly as Eli's story when you stop and look at it from a God centered perspective.
So what are you talking about? What is your purpose? Are you following the model of Christ purpose, seeking to glorify God alone? Are your words and life aligned under His authority humbly seeking His majesty?
If that is not happening, both your purpose and your words will seek to glorify and justify yourself. Jesus classifies that as faleshood.
Each night I lay down to pray and talk with my kids. Eli is now four and loves pirates, so lately I have been working in some tales of old pirate Red Beard sailing the Caribbean in search of Spanish Gallions full of gold. A couple of nights ago, he attempted his first stab at telling a Pirate tale. It basically went something like this "Apona once time there Red Beard and scooby doo said happy Halloween. Star wars came and they jumped off the ship and redbeard got lost. The end."
It is amazing how much kids imitate their parents. Eli's confusing story was simply an attempt to mirror me and my bad Pirate accent. He just turned four, so he gets a pass on blabbing off some confusion. I don't think we get that same pass as adults.
Read through the passage above and listen to what Jesus is saying. He basically says that He is sent to bring Glory to God and is speaking based on that authority. He goes further to say that anyone who doesn't speak by a God endowed and empowered authority is seeking his own glory, not God's.
That should stop us dead in our tracks when we see our churches filled with members, and even some preachers who don't know the Bible, or choose to ignore the Bible and instead believe that their opinions are more important than teaching the word of God, which has a 100% backing by God as being invested with God's authority. It is only when we are seeking to Glorify God will we care about what He has to say about Himself and His Creation. When we are seeking to Glorify ourselves we will speak on our own authority, which quite frankly seems as silly as Eli's story when you stop and look at it from a God centered perspective.
So what are you talking about? What is your purpose? Are you following the model of Christ purpose, seeking to glorify God alone? Are your words and life aligned under His authority humbly seeking His majesty?
If that is not happening, both your purpose and your words will seek to glorify and justify yourself. Jesus classifies that as faleshood.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Mockery
Luke 23:11 And Herod with his soldiers treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, then arraying Him in splendid clothes sent Him back to Pilate.
I remember one morning about 8 years ago, sitting in Sunday school hearing prayer requests that seemed a bit odd. The one I remember most was a couple that wanted us to pray that God would help them sell their old house, because they had instantaneously without consulting Him brought their dream house in their dream neighborhood, and didn't have the money to pay for both houses for long. When I heard it, it allowed me to see my own misguided practices, as I used to think that I could simply use God to get what I wanted. As our group sat there vocalizing prayer request, an outsider would have probably deduced that our God was equivalent of a short order cook waiting anxiously to fulfill our request on our timetable. I believe that many people subconsciously feel that way, or at least that is what their lives reveal.
First let me say that I believe that God indeed wants to bless and enrich His children, but those blessings and enrichment come according to His plan and may or may not be material. Our two biggest challenges as Americans is that our sin nature encourages us to falsely see everything through lenses of materialism and individualism. As long as we are trapped looking through those lenses, we will miss the beauty of and riches of Christ himself, and the blessings of sharing His love with others. We will mistakenly think that stuff is better than God.
When we try to use Jesus to accomplish our will and direct God to bless it, I believe it is a mockery of the Cross and of Christ's work on it. He has a plan and empowerment for our lives that is designed to bring Him Glory. We mock Him as we try to leverage Him so that we can bring glory to ourselves. That my friend is something I have done way too much of, and it humbles me to think that He has forgiven me and still pours fourth love for me.
So are you a tool being leveraged for the Glory of God, or do you think God is a tool to be used by you to get what you want? The bigger question is which is the end desire of your heart, God or stuff?
We need to really tread carefully with how we handle the grace of Christ. If not we don't look any different than Pilate and his soldiers who mistakenly thought that they controlled Him. What a mistake that was. Don't follow their path. Follow Christ and be used for His Glory!
I remember one morning about 8 years ago, sitting in Sunday school hearing prayer requests that seemed a bit odd. The one I remember most was a couple that wanted us to pray that God would help them sell their old house, because they had instantaneously without consulting Him brought their dream house in their dream neighborhood, and didn't have the money to pay for both houses for long. When I heard it, it allowed me to see my own misguided practices, as I used to think that I could simply use God to get what I wanted. As our group sat there vocalizing prayer request, an outsider would have probably deduced that our God was equivalent of a short order cook waiting anxiously to fulfill our request on our timetable. I believe that many people subconsciously feel that way, or at least that is what their lives reveal.
First let me say that I believe that God indeed wants to bless and enrich His children, but those blessings and enrichment come according to His plan and may or may not be material. Our two biggest challenges as Americans is that our sin nature encourages us to falsely see everything through lenses of materialism and individualism. As long as we are trapped looking through those lenses, we will miss the beauty of and riches of Christ himself, and the blessings of sharing His love with others. We will mistakenly think that stuff is better than God.
When we try to use Jesus to accomplish our will and direct God to bless it, I believe it is a mockery of the Cross and of Christ's work on it. He has a plan and empowerment for our lives that is designed to bring Him Glory. We mock Him as we try to leverage Him so that we can bring glory to ourselves. That my friend is something I have done way too much of, and it humbles me to think that He has forgiven me and still pours fourth love for me.
So are you a tool being leveraged for the Glory of God, or do you think God is a tool to be used by you to get what you want? The bigger question is which is the end desire of your heart, God or stuff?
We need to really tread carefully with how we handle the grace of Christ. If not we don't look any different than Pilate and his soldiers who mistakenly thought that they controlled Him. What a mistake that was. Don't follow their path. Follow Christ and be used for His Glory!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Delivered
John 5:8 Jesus said to him," Get up, Take up your bed and walk"
John 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to Him, "See you are well! Sin no more that nothing worse may happen to you."
The Chilean mine rescue recently captured my attention. Could you imagine being trapped 2,000 feet underground in a mine for 70 days? Think about the thick darkness and the staleness of the air coming through the emergency ventilators, and the terror of just being trapped by millions of tons of rock. It would really be a battle just to stay sane, much less live.
When you look at the encounter of Jesus and the invalid in John 5, we discover what Jesus came to do for mankind. Look at verse fourteen, and it can take you back a bit. Jesus warns this man not to sin. Actually it is deeper than that, He threatens Him about the danger of sin. We can miss the point of Jesus actions if we do not understand that we are rescued from sin so that we can be Holy. The issue at stake here is holiness. The restoration and continued dialogue that Jesus engages in with this man are not so that he can be a little better or even a nicer guy, they occur so that the Power and Holiness of God might flow through this man so that God might receive Glory. That is why Jesus says in verse 17 "My father is working until now, and I am working." He is at work waging war for Holiness and against sin. A war so that God's goodness and holiness may be made known to all nations and people in the world.
When you look at the work Jesus does delivering us into an intimate relationship with the father, he rescues us from death to life. Much like the emergency rescue capsule used in Chile, Jesus does not leave us buried in the depth of rubble. He raises us out of the danger of sin in a very real way. If you have a chance, go look at the videos and interviews that were made with those 33 men rescued from the depths of death. They celebrated rescue and life in a large way. In fact, the whole country is celebrating at the miracle of it all as happiness and Joy fill the air.
Now ask yourself a question. Have you been delivered by Jesus in a similar manner as the capsule delivered those miners? Do you feel it in your soul: the pleasant desire of Holiness? Have you been delivered into life and a relationship that you sense intimacy with God?
I fear that there are many people who are still trapped. They may have a full knowledge that Jesus is their rescue capsule, but their desire to retain control and live in sin is just to strong so they stay trapped. Some of these folks even believe that their knowledge of Jesus as their rescue capsule is all they need. Jesus offers us one invitation: Deny yourself, turn from sin and Follow me. So if you have not done so, allow the Christ of God to bring you up out the death trap today. He wants to deliver us from the deathly power of sin into the life and love of His Holiness. Do you want that?
John 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to Him, "See you are well! Sin no more that nothing worse may happen to you."
The Chilean mine rescue recently captured my attention. Could you imagine being trapped 2,000 feet underground in a mine for 70 days? Think about the thick darkness and the staleness of the air coming through the emergency ventilators, and the terror of just being trapped by millions of tons of rock. It would really be a battle just to stay sane, much less live.
When you look at the encounter of Jesus and the invalid in John 5, we discover what Jesus came to do for mankind. Look at verse fourteen, and it can take you back a bit. Jesus warns this man not to sin. Actually it is deeper than that, He threatens Him about the danger of sin. We can miss the point of Jesus actions if we do not understand that we are rescued from sin so that we can be Holy. The issue at stake here is holiness. The restoration and continued dialogue that Jesus engages in with this man are not so that he can be a little better or even a nicer guy, they occur so that the Power and Holiness of God might flow through this man so that God might receive Glory. That is why Jesus says in verse 17 "My father is working until now, and I am working." He is at work waging war for Holiness and against sin. A war so that God's goodness and holiness may be made known to all nations and people in the world.
When you look at the work Jesus does delivering us into an intimate relationship with the father, he rescues us from death to life. Much like the emergency rescue capsule used in Chile, Jesus does not leave us buried in the depth of rubble. He raises us out of the danger of sin in a very real way. If you have a chance, go look at the videos and interviews that were made with those 33 men rescued from the depths of death. They celebrated rescue and life in a large way. In fact, the whole country is celebrating at the miracle of it all as happiness and Joy fill the air.
Now ask yourself a question. Have you been delivered by Jesus in a similar manner as the capsule delivered those miners? Do you feel it in your soul: the pleasant desire of Holiness? Have you been delivered into life and a relationship that you sense intimacy with God?
I fear that there are many people who are still trapped. They may have a full knowledge that Jesus is their rescue capsule, but their desire to retain control and live in sin is just to strong so they stay trapped. Some of these folks even believe that their knowledge of Jesus as their rescue capsule is all they need. Jesus offers us one invitation: Deny yourself, turn from sin and Follow me. So if you have not done so, allow the Christ of God to bring you up out the death trap today. He wants to deliver us from the deathly power of sin into the life and love of His Holiness. Do you want that?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Confused
Matthew 1:21 "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
While brushing my teeth Monday night, I was captivated by a preacher on television. This preacher was openly homosexual and his well mannered debate with an evangelical was based on the fact that we should be able to critique scriptures. His convincing position stated that Jesus came for everyone and that there were parts of the bible that just weren't applicable to us anymore. His basic message was that he believed Jesus came to justify all human beings. As I listened I could not help but pray for the preacher and all of the people who are deluded about the Gospel.
Jesus came to save us from sin. Yes he came to save us from the penalty of sin, but He came to save us from it entirely. That topic seems to be missed by the majority of people today. He wants us Holy, he wants to protect us and He wants what is best for us. if we believe that God is all good and sin is all bad then we must become aware that our sin nature tries to fool us in to thinking God is with holding something from us as He wages war against sin.
The homosexual debate seems to be the hottest topic about sin so I will address it here specifically, but you could substitute any sin in its place. When the preacher made his case to critique scripture he talked about the non practical OT law and said surely a law that punished homosexuals by death and also forbade the eating of pigs is irrelevant. Logically that sounds nice but when you pop open the hood that car does not drive. You have to look at what Jesus says about sexual immorality in Mark 7:21, "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery". Look at the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and echoed in 1 Corinthians 6:9, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous[1] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,". Then think through Peter's word in 2 Peter 1:20,"20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation."
The bible is clear about sins. All sins, and it is clear about homosexuality as one of those. If we misunderstand Jesus coming to save us from those sins we have left the faith. In an argument to defend sin, in this case Homosexuality, we would have to critique and eliminate the words of Moses, Jesus, Paul and Peter. If we do that our faith is in our own opinions not Jesus and we have completely left the Christian faith. Jesus came to save us from sins, if we spend all our time trying to justify the sin in our life that we enjoy, how can we really think we are walking with Him?
We all have sinned and fallen short. the offer from Christ is to repent form those sins, turn and follow Him in pursuit of righteousness which is like being drafted in to a war against sin.
While brushing my teeth Monday night, I was captivated by a preacher on television. This preacher was openly homosexual and his well mannered debate with an evangelical was based on the fact that we should be able to critique scriptures. His convincing position stated that Jesus came for everyone and that there were parts of the bible that just weren't applicable to us anymore. His basic message was that he believed Jesus came to justify all human beings. As I listened I could not help but pray for the preacher and all of the people who are deluded about the Gospel.
Jesus came to save us from sin. Yes he came to save us from the penalty of sin, but He came to save us from it entirely. That topic seems to be missed by the majority of people today. He wants us Holy, he wants to protect us and He wants what is best for us. if we believe that God is all good and sin is all bad then we must become aware that our sin nature tries to fool us in to thinking God is with holding something from us as He wages war against sin.
The homosexual debate seems to be the hottest topic about sin so I will address it here specifically, but you could substitute any sin in its place. When the preacher made his case to critique scripture he talked about the non practical OT law and said surely a law that punished homosexuals by death and also forbade the eating of pigs is irrelevant. Logically that sounds nice but when you pop open the hood that car does not drive. You have to look at what Jesus says about sexual immorality in Mark 7:21, "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery". Look at the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and echoed in 1 Corinthians 6:9, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous[1] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,". Then think through Peter's word in 2 Peter 1:20,"20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation."
The bible is clear about sins. All sins, and it is clear about homosexuality as one of those. If we misunderstand Jesus coming to save us from those sins we have left the faith. In an argument to defend sin, in this case Homosexuality, we would have to critique and eliminate the words of Moses, Jesus, Paul and Peter. If we do that our faith is in our own opinions not Jesus and we have completely left the Christian faith. Jesus came to save us from sins, if we spend all our time trying to justify the sin in our life that we enjoy, how can we really think we are walking with Him?
We all have sinned and fallen short. the offer from Christ is to repent form those sins, turn and follow Him in pursuit of righteousness which is like being drafted in to a war against sin.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Secure yourself
Matthew 27: 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
Have you noticed how obsessed we are with security? Financial security, Home security, Airport security, Border security, Political security, Social Security, Job security, all of these topics dominate the conversation in America today. I believe it is becasue at the core level of our souls, we all want it deeply. We all want assurance, peace, rest and joy. We are designed to crave security from God, we just often misplace that security and in our own strengths create false securities. False securities are man made cover ups for sin led insecurities. Even though we all intuitively know that all of the things of this world are temporary, the temptation is strong to be busy at work covering our insecurities up with the things of this world that temporarily abate the insecurity pains.
It all reminds me of the above passge where Pilate is trying to cover up the murder of Jesus. The quote, "make it secure as you can" is fitting for the prideful players involved. Think about this with me for a second, Pilate conjured up the strength of the Roman Guard and a massive rock to make sure that Jesus would remain captive to the tomb. In his eyes there was truly nothing stronger around. He had one large problem though, God had another idea. Massive rocks and Roman guards are mere wisps of air compared to the power of Christ. As the rock is rolled away, and the guards flee from teh tomb in raw fear later in the book of Matthew, we get a real sense of what happens to man made security. It crumbles when God, the only true security available, shows up.
We would be wise to make sure that our lives do not mirror those of Pilate, The Jews and the Roman guard, busily setting up false security shelters. Sure we need to be wise and plan for future possibilities, but if those plans become the place you find your security watch out, God might just show up and tear them down.
Have you noticed how obsessed we are with security? Financial security, Home security, Airport security, Border security, Political security, Social Security, Job security, all of these topics dominate the conversation in America today. I believe it is becasue at the core level of our souls, we all want it deeply. We all want assurance, peace, rest and joy. We are designed to crave security from God, we just often misplace that security and in our own strengths create false securities. False securities are man made cover ups for sin led insecurities. Even though we all intuitively know that all of the things of this world are temporary, the temptation is strong to be busy at work covering our insecurities up with the things of this world that temporarily abate the insecurity pains.
It all reminds me of the above passge where Pilate is trying to cover up the murder of Jesus. The quote, "make it secure as you can" is fitting for the prideful players involved. Think about this with me for a second, Pilate conjured up the strength of the Roman Guard and a massive rock to make sure that Jesus would remain captive to the tomb. In his eyes there was truly nothing stronger around. He had one large problem though, God had another idea. Massive rocks and Roman guards are mere wisps of air compared to the power of Christ. As the rock is rolled away, and the guards flee from teh tomb in raw fear later in the book of Matthew, we get a real sense of what happens to man made security. It crumbles when God, the only true security available, shows up.
We would be wise to make sure that our lives do not mirror those of Pilate, The Jews and the Roman guard, busily setting up false security shelters. Sure we need to be wise and plan for future possibilities, but if those plans become the place you find your security watch out, God might just show up and tear them down.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Bragging Rights
Jeremiah 9:23-24 ...Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justrice, and righteousness in the Earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.
Its the middle of football season here in the fine state of Alabama. I find myself amazed by how dominated our culture is by football. Auburn and Alabama are the two rival schools in the state and the energy, money and passion poured into support of the football programs goes beyond measure. My son plays on a 3rd grade team that has there on website, film banks and practices three times a week and oh yeah they play a game as well. Even in my own walk I have to keep my emotions and passion in check during the fall. I want Cal's team to win, I want Auburn to win but I have recently started asking myself, "Why do I want that to happen?" The answer is simple. Bragging rights. As a father I want to talk about my son. As an Auburn graduate, I want to talk about how unbelieveable our quarterback Cam Newton is. It all goes back to who or what we take pride in, and what gives us an identity.
We must take great care to sepearate a game played on a field designed for recreation and the dominate passion of our souls. God's word through the prophet Jeremiah are pretty clear: If you want to brag about something, brag about me! I love the end of verse 24, " I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the Earth. For in these things I delight. God is all about love, justice and truth. He delights in them, what more could we want? We will find these things only in God, there fore we should brag about His greatness.
I am amazed at the energy and passion that even creeps into my own life about a game. What if all of us who lived in the South who call our selves Christian, poured our lives out for Christ with the same zeal we do for our teams? Would the rest of the country take note? Would they be intrigued about God in the same way they are SEC football?
Its the middle of football season here in the fine state of Alabama. I find myself amazed by how dominated our culture is by football. Auburn and Alabama are the two rival schools in the state and the energy, money and passion poured into support of the football programs goes beyond measure. My son plays on a 3rd grade team that has there on website, film banks and practices three times a week and oh yeah they play a game as well. Even in my own walk I have to keep my emotions and passion in check during the fall. I want Cal's team to win, I want Auburn to win but I have recently started asking myself, "Why do I want that to happen?" The answer is simple. Bragging rights. As a father I want to talk about my son. As an Auburn graduate, I want to talk about how unbelieveable our quarterback Cam Newton is. It all goes back to who or what we take pride in, and what gives us an identity.
We must take great care to sepearate a game played on a field designed for recreation and the dominate passion of our souls. God's word through the prophet Jeremiah are pretty clear: If you want to brag about something, brag about me! I love the end of verse 24, " I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the Earth. For in these things I delight. God is all about love, justice and truth. He delights in them, what more could we want? We will find these things only in God, there fore we should brag about His greatness.
I am amazed at the energy and passion that even creeps into my own life about a game. What if all of us who lived in the South who call our selves Christian, poured our lives out for Christ with the same zeal we do for our teams? Would the rest of the country take note? Would they be intrigued about God in the same way they are SEC football?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Reverse Ransom
Psalm 49: 7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit.
There have been many famous ransom cases in US history. The Lindberg kidnapping in the 30's and the Jon Benet Ramsey case are familiar to most of us atleast vaguely. The thought of people stealing kids and demanding a monetary price for their life is wickedness personified. Some cases end up well, but most end in brutal disasters. All of them captivate the attention of the culture in which they occur, as the tension filled battle between hope of release and fear of death rage on.
Why is it so hard for us to see ourselves in the same place of a helpless kid kidnapped in the night by Evil? Maybe it is because sin is so deceptive we actually play a part in our own abduction, but it is critical for us to understand that we are a hostage to sin. I think it is also highly probable that we all think that we can earn or by our way through any circumstance. Surely our culture and past experiences validate this way of thinking.
If you believe the truths found above in Psalm 49, then You understand the reason why Jesus came. Mark 10:45 states "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom of many". Psalms 49 is speaking about man's inability to pay for, or even earn salvation. Only Christianity clearly states that we are unable to barter with God for your soul either in actions or chaity, because our ssouls are tainted with Evil. It is the unique claim of Christ that he came as both God and Man to serve as the ransom to serve men as a sacrifice. Man couldn't do it. That is why it required Jesus, who was fully God and Man, to come and ransom us from our sin and death. Men couldn't ransom themselves or each other, but God came down and ransomed us with a cost of cosmic proportions, the life of Jesus- God incarnate. For this reason, Christianity is exclusive in its offer. It is not an offer to be good, act right or live in moral virtue, even all of those will occur in the soul of a Christ follower. The offer of Christ is life and our choice is to either Worship Him or evaluate Him.
The entire bible points to the seperation of God and sinful man and our need for a redeemer, and reveals Jesus alone as that opportunity. It is a letter sent to captives, not trying to leverage a captor. In those ways, it is a type of reverse ransom letter. In stark contrast to an evil ransom letter of captivity, God's Holy word offers life, freedom and provides the ample resource for that transaction to occur as well, the Blood of Christ.
Has your soul written back to Christ in praise, or are you still evaluating the situation?
8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit.
There have been many famous ransom cases in US history. The Lindberg kidnapping in the 30's and the Jon Benet Ramsey case are familiar to most of us atleast vaguely. The thought of people stealing kids and demanding a monetary price for their life is wickedness personified. Some cases end up well, but most end in brutal disasters. All of them captivate the attention of the culture in which they occur, as the tension filled battle between hope of release and fear of death rage on.
Why is it so hard for us to see ourselves in the same place of a helpless kid kidnapped in the night by Evil? Maybe it is because sin is so deceptive we actually play a part in our own abduction, but it is critical for us to understand that we are a hostage to sin. I think it is also highly probable that we all think that we can earn or by our way through any circumstance. Surely our culture and past experiences validate this way of thinking.
If you believe the truths found above in Psalm 49, then You understand the reason why Jesus came. Mark 10:45 states "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom of many". Psalms 49 is speaking about man's inability to pay for, or even earn salvation. Only Christianity clearly states that we are unable to barter with God for your soul either in actions or chaity, because our ssouls are tainted with Evil. It is the unique claim of Christ that he came as both God and Man to serve as the ransom to serve men as a sacrifice. Man couldn't do it. That is why it required Jesus, who was fully God and Man, to come and ransom us from our sin and death. Men couldn't ransom themselves or each other, but God came down and ransomed us with a cost of cosmic proportions, the life of Jesus- God incarnate. For this reason, Christianity is exclusive in its offer. It is not an offer to be good, act right or live in moral virtue, even all of those will occur in the soul of a Christ follower. The offer of Christ is life and our choice is to either Worship Him or evaluate Him.
The entire bible points to the seperation of God and sinful man and our need for a redeemer, and reveals Jesus alone as that opportunity. It is a letter sent to captives, not trying to leverage a captor. In those ways, it is a type of reverse ransom letter. In stark contrast to an evil ransom letter of captivity, God's Holy word offers life, freedom and provides the ample resource for that transaction to occur as well, the Blood of Christ.
Has your soul written back to Christ in praise, or are you still evaluating the situation?
Monday, October 4, 2010
Pre-Occupation with Samuel Adams?
John 17:20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Last week on a plane ride home form Milwaukee, I sat next to a mid thirties, GQ type of guy, who was in the process of living life largely. He freely offered up much information about himself, his accomplishments, and his passion for his work. I have rarely met someone more in love with what they do. It was all he could talk about, and he pretty much did so from take off to landing. Turns out, he was a regional manager for Samuel Adams beer. He rambled on and on about the brilliant taste of the beer, and his incredibly lucky status as someone who gets paid so much to simply do what they love to do, drink beer. His entire job was entertaining people and getting them to drink more beer. He was actually in route to take a group of wholesalers on a "dream week" of golf and beer drinking on Kiawah Island. The guy was literally on fire for old Sam Adams, and it seemed if he was living a dream, at least in His eyes.
John 17 has had a dramatic impact on my life. The prayer that Jesus prays is one of power and investment into the original disciples, and then into the lives of anyone who follows Him based on their words. When you dive in to what Jesus is praying, it becomes clear that he has selected people that are preoccupied with Him and His glory, so that they can obnoxiously infect others with His love. Jesus prays that these disciples would abide in Him, and that the Father would pour His glory into their lives, and they in turn would make disciples as they went through their daily lives. It was the Father's plan form the beginning, disciple making.
After the flight, I caught myself wondering something. If we understand that God is in us and His glory is coursing through our veins, where is our obnoxious excitement about our dream job? I mean if a man can be so jazzed about selling beer which has no long term meaning or purpose, but rather short term joy, why is the Church so dull and programmatic in its efforts to spread the Gospel? Isn't Jesus offering life through His disciples, the Church?
If our faith was strong enough that we were truly intoxicated with Love and Praise for Christ who gives us birth and re-birth, I know that the impact the Church would make on the World would be larger. If we understood to a greater extent God's plan of disciple making is nothing more than a natural overflow of His love from us to other people, and not an institutionalized schematic then we could be unleashed. I pray that he would strengthen our hunger for Him and our desire to brag about our "dream job" of sharing life with others.
So where do you fit in? Are you so in love with the one who first loved you that you brag about Him? Are you more interested in other things?
It has been said that whatever holds our preoccupations has a good chance of becoming our idol. Only Christ is worthy of our preoccupations, and in turn our joyous occupation of disciple making.
Last week on a plane ride home form Milwaukee, I sat next to a mid thirties, GQ type of guy, who was in the process of living life largely. He freely offered up much information about himself, his accomplishments, and his passion for his work. I have rarely met someone more in love with what they do. It was all he could talk about, and he pretty much did so from take off to landing. Turns out, he was a regional manager for Samuel Adams beer. He rambled on and on about the brilliant taste of the beer, and his incredibly lucky status as someone who gets paid so much to simply do what they love to do, drink beer. His entire job was entertaining people and getting them to drink more beer. He was actually in route to take a group of wholesalers on a "dream week" of golf and beer drinking on Kiawah Island. The guy was literally on fire for old Sam Adams, and it seemed if he was living a dream, at least in His eyes.
John 17 has had a dramatic impact on my life. The prayer that Jesus prays is one of power and investment into the original disciples, and then into the lives of anyone who follows Him based on their words. When you dive in to what Jesus is praying, it becomes clear that he has selected people that are preoccupied with Him and His glory, so that they can obnoxiously infect others with His love. Jesus prays that these disciples would abide in Him, and that the Father would pour His glory into their lives, and they in turn would make disciples as they went through their daily lives. It was the Father's plan form the beginning, disciple making.
After the flight, I caught myself wondering something. If we understand that God is in us and His glory is coursing through our veins, where is our obnoxious excitement about our dream job? I mean if a man can be so jazzed about selling beer which has no long term meaning or purpose, but rather short term joy, why is the Church so dull and programmatic in its efforts to spread the Gospel? Isn't Jesus offering life through His disciples, the Church?
If our faith was strong enough that we were truly intoxicated with Love and Praise for Christ who gives us birth and re-birth, I know that the impact the Church would make on the World would be larger. If we understood to a greater extent God's plan of disciple making is nothing more than a natural overflow of His love from us to other people, and not an institutionalized schematic then we could be unleashed. I pray that he would strengthen our hunger for Him and our desire to brag about our "dream job" of sharing life with others.
So where do you fit in? Are you so in love with the one who first loved you that you brag about Him? Are you more interested in other things?
It has been said that whatever holds our preoccupations has a good chance of becoming our idol. Only Christ is worthy of our preoccupations, and in turn our joyous occupation of disciple making.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Look Harder
John 7:41 "Others said, " This is the Christ". But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"
John 7:46 The officers (who were sent to arrest him) answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!"
"I can't find my shoes dad", moans my tired oldest son Cal about every other morning as we are border line late leaving for carpool. "Well, have you looked for them son" comes my reply. "Yes, but I can't find them" is the reply. About 50 % of the time the shoes that are seemingly impossible for him to locate are within about ten feet of his position as he firmly concludes they are lost. The other half of the time they are by his bed or by the couch downstairs where he took them off the night before. After the upteenth speech about looking hard, logically backtracking your steps and making sure that your conclusions are solid before you announce that your shoes are lost, I hand them to him and we pile into the car and head for school and work.
As Jesus hits the scene, there were conflicting opinions of who he was; the Christ? John the Baptist? A Demon possessed man? Elijah? The words of the Jews in John 7:41 above reveal a lack of desire to discover the Truth of who Jesus was. Like my son who is just to tired to really look, they state two scriptural facts that point to and confirm Christ as Messiah yet don't dive into the facts of his life so they assume wrongly that Jesus is not the Messiah. In reading it I often wonder in disbelief that when they saw these acts and miracles that they didn't even send someone to interview the family, or check a temple registration, or census or something, to try and see if the facts of Christ matched the prophecy spoken of Him. Laziness and a lack of desire to know the Truths of God that were unfolding in front of their eyes kept them in the dark, quite literally.
Compare that to the officers who were sent to arrest Christ, we see five verses later the words of men who actually looked and listened deeper to Jesus who ws trying to help men answer the question of the day, " Is Jesus the Messiah?" When these guys returned to the Pharisees who sent them they were asked' "Where is He , Why did you not arrest Him?". There response is one of awe,"No one ever spoke like this man". You can hear their awe of Christ in their words. Once they saw and felt His power and glory they were certainly not going to make an attempt to arrest Him. Why would they? He was pouring out love, truth and life with every breath, action and move. There was simply no grounds to arrest Him except the cowardly jealousy of the religious establishment. As they heard His witness, something moved them to understand Jesus was unique and amazing.
Now look at the contrast between these two groups. The first group is lazy and content to make conclusions based on apparent face value and prevailing thoughts of the culture. The officers actually investigated Christ and were awed by Him. The first group pulled up shy of truly looking harder into the prophecies and facts that were unfolding that would reshape human history. The officers actually bumped into the creator and sustainer of the universe and were amazed at Christ.
These two types of groups still exist today. One group too lazy or blinded to look into the complex fulfillment of prophecies in Christ, and the other group looking deep into Christians being awed by Him at every turn. History confirms prophecy foretold 500+ years before Christ walked the face of the Earth. He is neither a good teacher nor a fairy tell, He is a fact. Fully man, fully God crucified and raised in victory.
Go look for yourself, look hard, look deep, and be amazed.
John 7:46 The officers (who were sent to arrest him) answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!"
"I can't find my shoes dad", moans my tired oldest son Cal about every other morning as we are border line late leaving for carpool. "Well, have you looked for them son" comes my reply. "Yes, but I can't find them" is the reply. About 50 % of the time the shoes that are seemingly impossible for him to locate are within about ten feet of his position as he firmly concludes they are lost. The other half of the time they are by his bed or by the couch downstairs where he took them off the night before. After the upteenth speech about looking hard, logically backtracking your steps and making sure that your conclusions are solid before you announce that your shoes are lost, I hand them to him and we pile into the car and head for school and work.
As Jesus hits the scene, there were conflicting opinions of who he was; the Christ? John the Baptist? A Demon possessed man? Elijah? The words of the Jews in John 7:41 above reveal a lack of desire to discover the Truth of who Jesus was. Like my son who is just to tired to really look, they state two scriptural facts that point to and confirm Christ as Messiah yet don't dive into the facts of his life so they assume wrongly that Jesus is not the Messiah. In reading it I often wonder in disbelief that when they saw these acts and miracles that they didn't even send someone to interview the family, or check a temple registration, or census or something, to try and see if the facts of Christ matched the prophecy spoken of Him. Laziness and a lack of desire to know the Truths of God that were unfolding in front of their eyes kept them in the dark, quite literally.
Compare that to the officers who were sent to arrest Christ, we see five verses later the words of men who actually looked and listened deeper to Jesus who ws trying to help men answer the question of the day, " Is Jesus the Messiah?" When these guys returned to the Pharisees who sent them they were asked' "Where is He , Why did you not arrest Him?". There response is one of awe,"No one ever spoke like this man". You can hear their awe of Christ in their words. Once they saw and felt His power and glory they were certainly not going to make an attempt to arrest Him. Why would they? He was pouring out love, truth and life with every breath, action and move. There was simply no grounds to arrest Him except the cowardly jealousy of the religious establishment. As they heard His witness, something moved them to understand Jesus was unique and amazing.
Now look at the contrast between these two groups. The first group is lazy and content to make conclusions based on apparent face value and prevailing thoughts of the culture. The officers actually investigated Christ and were awed by Him. The first group pulled up shy of truly looking harder into the prophecies and facts that were unfolding that would reshape human history. The officers actually bumped into the creator and sustainer of the universe and were amazed at Christ.
These two types of groups still exist today. One group too lazy or blinded to look into the complex fulfillment of prophecies in Christ, and the other group looking deep into Christians being awed by Him at every turn. History confirms prophecy foretold 500+ years before Christ walked the face of the Earth. He is neither a good teacher nor a fairy tell, He is a fact. Fully man, fully God crucified and raised in victory.
Go look for yourself, look hard, look deep, and be amazed.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Hammer Posse
John 6:54 "Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life , and I will raise him up on the last day "55 For my Flesh is true food and my blood true drink 56"Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
John 6:66 After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
M.C. Hammer was one of my favorites back in my college days. Hits like "Hammer time, Turn this mutha out, 2 legit 2 quit, Pray and You can't touch this" still reside on my Ipod 20 years later. As Hammer rose in popularity, there was a group of folks simply known as the Hammer Posse. The Hammer Posse was a group of friends and followers that just hung out with him wherever he went. Hammer provided for the Posse's needs, and they all deeply enjoyed the ride as Hammer toured the world as his fame spread. Of course when Hammer ran out of hits and the funding ran low, the Posse disbanded.
Throughout the history of mankind, you can find people wanting to be casually and temporarily attached to people who are famous, special and powerful. It is the way we are built, in need of guidance and shepherding. Unfortunately, evil men like Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler and the like have abused this relational needing throughout the centuries. There are many today, some under the banner of "church", who lead men astray down paths of unrighteousness that glorify men, rather than God.
Stop and look at what Jesus is saying in the above verses. He is saying, "this ain't no casual deal, I am not some cool guru to just rub up against casually". He further tells the listeners -"Your flesh is no Help at all, it is your ability to appropriate mine that imparts life into you. This is a spiritual battle for your soul, not a posse that hangs out together until the cool signs and funding subside." Jesus offers life, but only if the listeners will give Him theirs in submission to His sacrificial work.
The result? Many walked away. What? How could they hear the Gospel from the original source, and just turn and leave? I mean, many times the Gospel is now preached as -Jesus died only for your sins, wants to empower you so that you can have the best life imaginable, right now so say " I accept Him" and just continue on your self indulgent path with some "hellfire" insurance. Well, there are many half truths being preached, but it is suffice to say that Jesus came down to restore us so that we can bring Glory to God, not ourselves. Our flesh driven agendas, even if they are in a church setting, have no power or value in the cosmic battle of life or death, even if they make us feel good about ourselves.
This may sound crazy, but take a second and ask yourself what does your following of Christ most resemble? Do you look more like a member of the Hammer posse, selfishly sponging his work for your glory and comfort, or do you look like men of faith in the bible who understand that sacrifice, submission and the Spirit's leading must mark our intentions and lives. Do you live to exhalt Christ, or do you think he lived and died to exhalt you?
John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
John 6:66 After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
M.C. Hammer was one of my favorites back in my college days. Hits like "Hammer time, Turn this mutha out, 2 legit 2 quit, Pray and You can't touch this" still reside on my Ipod 20 years later. As Hammer rose in popularity, there was a group of folks simply known as the Hammer Posse. The Hammer Posse was a group of friends and followers that just hung out with him wherever he went. Hammer provided for the Posse's needs, and they all deeply enjoyed the ride as Hammer toured the world as his fame spread. Of course when Hammer ran out of hits and the funding ran low, the Posse disbanded.
Throughout the history of mankind, you can find people wanting to be casually and temporarily attached to people who are famous, special and powerful. It is the way we are built, in need of guidance and shepherding. Unfortunately, evil men like Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler and the like have abused this relational needing throughout the centuries. There are many today, some under the banner of "church", who lead men astray down paths of unrighteousness that glorify men, rather than God.
Stop and look at what Jesus is saying in the above verses. He is saying, "this ain't no casual deal, I am not some cool guru to just rub up against casually". He further tells the listeners -"Your flesh is no Help at all, it is your ability to appropriate mine that imparts life into you. This is a spiritual battle for your soul, not a posse that hangs out together until the cool signs and funding subside." Jesus offers life, but only if the listeners will give Him theirs in submission to His sacrificial work.
The result? Many walked away. What? How could they hear the Gospel from the original source, and just turn and leave? I mean, many times the Gospel is now preached as -Jesus died only for your sins, wants to empower you so that you can have the best life imaginable, right now so say " I accept Him" and just continue on your self indulgent path with some "hellfire" insurance. Well, there are many half truths being preached, but it is suffice to say that Jesus came down to restore us so that we can bring Glory to God, not ourselves. Our flesh driven agendas, even if they are in a church setting, have no power or value in the cosmic battle of life or death, even if they make us feel good about ourselves.
This may sound crazy, but take a second and ask yourself what does your following of Christ most resemble? Do you look more like a member of the Hammer posse, selfishly sponging his work for your glory and comfort, or do you look like men of faith in the bible who understand that sacrifice, submission and the Spirit's leading must mark our intentions and lives. Do you live to exhalt Christ, or do you think he lived and died to exhalt you?
Monday, September 27, 2010
The Work of God
John 5:41 "I do not receive glory from people"
John 6:27-29 " Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal". 28 Then they said to Him, What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom he has sent".
Word like self starter, proactive, initiative taker and disciplined are all words that describe myself and probably many of you as that seems to be the demand of our culture if you want to thrive in America in 2010. All of those traits are admirable, but we must put a check on them when it comes to the things of God. I can not tell you how many times my pro-activeness launched and initiative without consulting God and it ends up being a burden. This gets even trickier as Church involvement gets deeper and we sign up for duties reflexively, without asking for God's lead, evaluating our giftings, calling and purpose. We can find ourselves doing our own work and you can tell when that happens because it becomes a dull burden. When it is the work of God you will have hard attacks as head winds, but you will have deep victories in communion with Christ as to His work through you.
Think about the words of Jesus above..He does not receive glory from people...our work is to believe in Him...so what does that mean? Are we supposed to sit in a corner 24/7 and praise Christ? Sounds crazy but if God calls you to then absolutely yes. he called Ezekiel to lay on His side for months. Why did he do that? To bring Glory to Himself as he worked through Ezekiel. It is the same with us. only God led actions can bring Him Glory. The spirit with us desires to plug us into the work of God as His kingdom reigns. Our human thoughts and actions produce fruitless time killers. A spirit led work fueled by the Spirit by one who is abiding in Christ produces eternal rewards from the God of the universe.
Which are you doing? Your own man made works trying in vain to bring Him Glory? Do you feel like God needs your help in bringing Himself glory so you kind of make your own plans, instead of simply being grafted into His plan and work?
We all need to be careful that our self starting understands that intense communion and praise for Christ is the work to be done. The overflow of love that arises from time with Him will be a divine work of His Kingdom.
John 6:27-29 " Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal". 28 Then they said to Him, What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom he has sent".
Word like self starter, proactive, initiative taker and disciplined are all words that describe myself and probably many of you as that seems to be the demand of our culture if you want to thrive in America in 2010. All of those traits are admirable, but we must put a check on them when it comes to the things of God. I can not tell you how many times my pro-activeness launched and initiative without consulting God and it ends up being a burden. This gets even trickier as Church involvement gets deeper and we sign up for duties reflexively, without asking for God's lead, evaluating our giftings, calling and purpose. We can find ourselves doing our own work and you can tell when that happens because it becomes a dull burden. When it is the work of God you will have hard attacks as head winds, but you will have deep victories in communion with Christ as to His work through you.
Think about the words of Jesus above..He does not receive glory from people...our work is to believe in Him...so what does that mean? Are we supposed to sit in a corner 24/7 and praise Christ? Sounds crazy but if God calls you to then absolutely yes. he called Ezekiel to lay on His side for months. Why did he do that? To bring Glory to Himself as he worked through Ezekiel. It is the same with us. only God led actions can bring Him Glory. The spirit with us desires to plug us into the work of God as His kingdom reigns. Our human thoughts and actions produce fruitless time killers. A spirit led work fueled by the Spirit by one who is abiding in Christ produces eternal rewards from the God of the universe.
Which are you doing? Your own man made works trying in vain to bring Him Glory? Do you feel like God needs your help in bringing Himself glory so you kind of make your own plans, instead of simply being grafted into His plan and work?
We all need to be careful that our self starting understands that intense communion and praise for Christ is the work to be done. The overflow of love that arises from time with Him will be a divine work of His Kingdom.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
How sweet it is
Zechariah 9:16 On that day, the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of His people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on His land. 17 For how great is His goodness and how great His Beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish,and new wine the women.
Many times I am stopped in my tracks unexpectedly and reminded by the beauty of Christ. Yesterday I was captivated by the lyrics of James Taylor's "How sweet it is to be loved by you" as I drove home. As you read the lyrics below, take time to think through and examine if the words of the song describe your soul's longing for Christ.
I needed the shelter of some one's arms, there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs, there you were
With sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotion
I want to stop and thank you baby
I want to stop and thank you baby (yes I do)
How sweet it is to be loved by you (feel so fine)
How sweet it is to be loved by you
I close my eyes at night
Wondering where would I be without you in my life
Everything I did was just a bore
Everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before
But you brighten up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby (woah, yeah)
How sweet it is to be loved by you (it's just like sugar sometimes)
How sweet it is to be loved by you
You were better to me than I was to myself
For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby (woah, yes)
Now obviously I pull up way short of calling Christ baby, so please don't let your mind run down that path as that would be a severe lack of appropriate fear and respect for the God of this universe. What I want to hone in on is the intimacy, longing and completeness of a heart that has finally found a love worth praising.
Look at the scripture from Zechariah above and add to it what you know about Christ's redeeming work in your life, and then compare that to the joyous lyrics made in this love song. In the love expressed by JT in this song, He has found:
> A shelter of someone's arms
> Someone to understand my ups and downs with sweet love and devotion
> A love worth pondering "where would I be without you?"
> A love taht is te richness of life itself
> The lover was better to Him than He was to Himself
> The Love is exclusive and He has love for no other
While there are many other parallels, I hope that the big picture is clear by now. I love how Zechariah says that the Lord's redeemed will shine like jewels in a crown. Amigos, we will only shine if we have truly received and live to worship Christ as the only source of perfect truth and complete Love. For so many years my relationship was a dark and stingy list of things to do and avoid. When the beauty of Christ touches your heart, and you respond with worship of Him shining is the natural state. Just like JT, we are left to sing in an intoxicated love "How sweet it is to be loved by You!".
When is the last time you have done that? Have you ever done that?
Please take time in this dark age we live in to express the Love you have for your redeemer and then shine on friends......Just like honey to the bee, it is what we were created to do!
Many times I am stopped in my tracks unexpectedly and reminded by the beauty of Christ. Yesterday I was captivated by the lyrics of James Taylor's "How sweet it is to be loved by you" as I drove home. As you read the lyrics below, take time to think through and examine if the words of the song describe your soul's longing for Christ.
I needed the shelter of some one's arms, there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs, there you were
With sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotion
I want to stop and thank you baby
I want to stop and thank you baby (yes I do)
How sweet it is to be loved by you (feel so fine)
How sweet it is to be loved by you
I close my eyes at night
Wondering where would I be without you in my life
Everything I did was just a bore
Everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before
But you brighten up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby (woah, yeah)
How sweet it is to be loved by you (it's just like sugar sometimes)
How sweet it is to be loved by you
You were better to me than I was to myself
For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby (woah, yes)
Now obviously I pull up way short of calling Christ baby, so please don't let your mind run down that path as that would be a severe lack of appropriate fear and respect for the God of this universe. What I want to hone in on is the intimacy, longing and completeness of a heart that has finally found a love worth praising.
Look at the scripture from Zechariah above and add to it what you know about Christ's redeeming work in your life, and then compare that to the joyous lyrics made in this love song. In the love expressed by JT in this song, He has found:
> A shelter of someone's arms
> Someone to understand my ups and downs with sweet love and devotion
> A love worth pondering "where would I be without you?"
> A love taht is te richness of life itself
> The lover was better to Him than He was to Himself
> The Love is exclusive and He has love for no other
While there are many other parallels, I hope that the big picture is clear by now. I love how Zechariah says that the Lord's redeemed will shine like jewels in a crown. Amigos, we will only shine if we have truly received and live to worship Christ as the only source of perfect truth and complete Love. For so many years my relationship was a dark and stingy list of things to do and avoid. When the beauty of Christ touches your heart, and you respond with worship of Him shining is the natural state. Just like JT, we are left to sing in an intoxicated love "How sweet it is to be loved by You!".
When is the last time you have done that? Have you ever done that?
Please take time in this dark age we live in to express the Love you have for your redeemer and then shine on friends......Just like honey to the bee, it is what we were created to do!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Espanol and Jesus
Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
I am in a continuing process of learning Spanish, so that God can use me as a more effective witness in Honduras. Six years ago, at first glance, learning Spanish seemed like an easy thing to accomplish. I reasoned with myself that there are millions of uneducated and impoverished people speaking Spanish around the globe so how hard can it be? Well, its more complicated to those of us who naturally speak English as many times we have to unlearn rules in our language as they are exclusive to English. I also did not realize how many verb tenses there are, and how many stem changing irregular conjugations that required intimate attention to learn in order to be effective. As my understanding of the language has increased, so has awareness of the depth and width of rules that must be understood and followed in the Spanish language if you desire to be fluent. I am determined though, and by God's grace I will be able to deliver the Gospel of Christ in Espanol!
Now I want to be really careful here, as the work of Christ in our lives is a divine work that he starts, nurtures and finishes, but as to our daily choice and pursuit of Christ, Paul's exhortation above somewhat parallels my pursuit of Spanish. As we learn divine Love through Christ, we become extremely aware of the vastness and complexities of His majesty that we will never fully grasp. As our hearts are enlightened by the deep Love of Christ, we realize that our natural thoughts and actions must be unlearned and sanctfied by God,if we want to walk and speak Jesus' language of Love. We also realize that Christ's ways are appropriated in our lives as we work out our faith in fear in trembling before the Lord (Phil 2:12). It is a daily digging into the rich LOve of God.
I know that in my own walk, I am amazed at how close I feel to Christ, yet am baffled by the Titanic size of His Love, Beauty and Glory that I can not fully digest. I believe that is Paul's encouragement to the Church, "Be Awed at the Divine nature of Christ and Constantly dive into His Love". It is when we are satisfied with the intimate Love of Christ that we are useful in the Kingdom of God. As we learn to speak and walk in the divine language of Christ's love, we fall deeper into love with Him, and those he has given us to love in our lives.
So search your heart and pray for a deep, rich understanding of God's love. Just like an American in Honduras who is satisfied knowing only "Como se llama?", a shallow dive into the vast pool of Christ's love ensures that there will be a lid on your efforts to reproduce Love in those around you.
I am in a continuing process of learning Spanish, so that God can use me as a more effective witness in Honduras. Six years ago, at first glance, learning Spanish seemed like an easy thing to accomplish. I reasoned with myself that there are millions of uneducated and impoverished people speaking Spanish around the globe so how hard can it be? Well, its more complicated to those of us who naturally speak English as many times we have to unlearn rules in our language as they are exclusive to English. I also did not realize how many verb tenses there are, and how many stem changing irregular conjugations that required intimate attention to learn in order to be effective. As my understanding of the language has increased, so has awareness of the depth and width of rules that must be understood and followed in the Spanish language if you desire to be fluent. I am determined though, and by God's grace I will be able to deliver the Gospel of Christ in Espanol!
Now I want to be really careful here, as the work of Christ in our lives is a divine work that he starts, nurtures and finishes, but as to our daily choice and pursuit of Christ, Paul's exhortation above somewhat parallels my pursuit of Spanish. As we learn divine Love through Christ, we become extremely aware of the vastness and complexities of His majesty that we will never fully grasp. As our hearts are enlightened by the deep Love of Christ, we realize that our natural thoughts and actions must be unlearned and sanctfied by God,if we want to walk and speak Jesus' language of Love. We also realize that Christ's ways are appropriated in our lives as we work out our faith in fear in trembling before the Lord (Phil 2:12). It is a daily digging into the rich LOve of God.
I know that in my own walk, I am amazed at how close I feel to Christ, yet am baffled by the Titanic size of His Love, Beauty and Glory that I can not fully digest. I believe that is Paul's encouragement to the Church, "Be Awed at the Divine nature of Christ and Constantly dive into His Love". It is when we are satisfied with the intimate Love of Christ that we are useful in the Kingdom of God. As we learn to speak and walk in the divine language of Christ's love, we fall deeper into love with Him, and those he has given us to love in our lives.
So search your heart and pray for a deep, rich understanding of God's love. Just like an American in Honduras who is satisfied knowing only "Como se llama?", a shallow dive into the vast pool of Christ's love ensures that there will be a lid on your efforts to reproduce Love in those around you.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Fan the Flame
2 Timothy 1:5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Practice makes perfect right? I don't know about perfect, but it definitely yields improvement if done with right motives and a right mind. Take my son Cal for instance, his 3rd grade fottball team practices four days a week for about 2 hours a day. While there are many times when I may think that is too much practice, there is no doubt in my mind that both Cal and his team have improved dramatically. If you watch a game from last year and comapre it to this year, you would think it was a different team altogether. Good coaching, hard work and a desire to improve is yielding fruit on the gridiron.
While Paul is not speaking of football, but rather of the more important topic of Faith, He has a similar charge to Timothy. He tells Him to fan the flames of the Gift Of God that were entrusted to Him to preach the Gospel. What is Paul talking about? Well He is speaking generally about the gift of Christ, salvation and the Holy Spirit in Timothy and specifically about His gift of preaching the Word. Paul's charge to fan the flames must be understood in a spiritual sense though, not in a checklist fashion. I belive that Paul is challenging Timothy to intensify His reliance on God through praise, prayer and a yielding to Preach the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul is keenly aware of the challenges and opposition that will arise against Timothy, and he is also aware of the obvious purpose and Gifting of Timothy as a preacher. His advice to Timothy about intensifying His worship of Christ and therefore His love for Christ further empowers both Timothy's walk with God, and his role and mission for God's Kingdom. The power for this lies solely with God and required Timothy to grow in intimacy with Christ so as to be able to accomplish the mission of Christ more intently.
While not all of us are preachers in a church setting. If we are saved, we are all lovingly posessed by Jesus and therefore should be communicators of the Gospel. God prepares each one of us with different giftings and roles as He has a plan to make His grace known to teh world through his Church.
Are you aware of your role? Are you aware of your giftings?
Those questions will be no if you have no intimacy with God and no passion for Him. If you approach bible reading as a checklist as opposed to sifting through a treasure chest of riches, your motives and mindset will limit your improved intimacy with Christ. When praying, if you approach God as a routine with a memorized script of words that is not from deep within a heart of praise, you should not expect that the flames of the Holy Spirit will be flamed within you.
If we truly want to Honor Christ, it starts and ends for us with passionate praise and pursuit of Him. Only after this happens will we be walk in His Power and not our own. When we walk in His power, the world changes as teh Glory of the Lord is revealed.
How will you fan the flames of what God has entrusted in You today?
Practice makes perfect right? I don't know about perfect, but it definitely yields improvement if done with right motives and a right mind. Take my son Cal for instance, his 3rd grade fottball team practices four days a week for about 2 hours a day. While there are many times when I may think that is too much practice, there is no doubt in my mind that both Cal and his team have improved dramatically. If you watch a game from last year and comapre it to this year, you would think it was a different team altogether. Good coaching, hard work and a desire to improve is yielding fruit on the gridiron.
While Paul is not speaking of football, but rather of the more important topic of Faith, He has a similar charge to Timothy. He tells Him to fan the flames of the Gift Of God that were entrusted to Him to preach the Gospel. What is Paul talking about? Well He is speaking generally about the gift of Christ, salvation and the Holy Spirit in Timothy and specifically about His gift of preaching the Word. Paul's charge to fan the flames must be understood in a spiritual sense though, not in a checklist fashion. I belive that Paul is challenging Timothy to intensify His reliance on God through praise, prayer and a yielding to Preach the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul is keenly aware of the challenges and opposition that will arise against Timothy, and he is also aware of the obvious purpose and Gifting of Timothy as a preacher. His advice to Timothy about intensifying His worship of Christ and therefore His love for Christ further empowers both Timothy's walk with God, and his role and mission for God's Kingdom. The power for this lies solely with God and required Timothy to grow in intimacy with Christ so as to be able to accomplish the mission of Christ more intently.
While not all of us are preachers in a church setting. If we are saved, we are all lovingly posessed by Jesus and therefore should be communicators of the Gospel. God prepares each one of us with different giftings and roles as He has a plan to make His grace known to teh world through his Church.
Are you aware of your role? Are you aware of your giftings?
Those questions will be no if you have no intimacy with God and no passion for Him. If you approach bible reading as a checklist as opposed to sifting through a treasure chest of riches, your motives and mindset will limit your improved intimacy with Christ. When praying, if you approach God as a routine with a memorized script of words that is not from deep within a heart of praise, you should not expect that the flames of the Holy Spirit will be flamed within you.
If we truly want to Honor Christ, it starts and ends for us with passionate praise and pursuit of Him. Only after this happens will we be walk in His Power and not our own. When we walk in His power, the world changes as teh Glory of the Lord is revealed.
How will you fan the flames of what God has entrusted in You today?
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Horror
Jeremiah 24:8 “But thus says the Lord: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials, the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. 9 I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a reproach, a byword, a a taunt, and a curse in all the places where I shall drive them.
Last Thursday the men of our small group made our regular visit to a local men's shelter. The faces of the men there tell many different stories. Some tell of hope, but most of them tell the grim painful story of a life spent worshipping at the altar of alcohol or drugs. Last week, there was one young guy in his twenties whose face I can still see vividly. Many missing teeth, thin hair, baggy skin on an emaciated frame announce his addiction to Meth before he even had to speak. The effects of Meth have robbed Him of any sign of health, joy or happiness. His countenance was literally that of a beaten down, cursed man.
In the last post, we learned about God's intentions with us as we rightly worship Him. He wants us to "be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory (Jeremiah 13:11). Jeremiah 13:11 ends with "but they would not listen". Jeremiah 24 above spells out with detail what occurs when false worship of counterfeit gods occur.
Idolotry turns men who were designed to be a people, a name, a praise and a glory into a reproach, a byword, a taunt and a curse. Notice with careful detail the exact opposite four word comparisons.
>People (of God) vs. Reproach (rebels against Him)
>A Name (of God) vs. byword (meaningless word that is lacking relevance)
>A Praise (for God) vs. A Taunt (Against God and everyone else)
>A Glory (reflecting God's Holiness) vs. A Curse (reflecting the curse of sin)
Long story short, there is no middle ground of worship. We are either engaged with Christ, as we cling to Him and He is shaping us dramatically as His Holiness is infused in us, or our false worship is eating away at our souls, our health and our bodies. We either are lovingly engaged in the truths of God or we are rebelling against Him.
I think one of the most deadliest places to be in as an American today is falling blindly to a false worship that includes a little church attendance that empowers a lifestyle of sin devoid of true worship. I walked this miserable road for years and looking back, it is easy to see how the false gods of alcohol, gambling and tobacco demanded my allegiance, consumed my thoughts and in turn me. Jesus is the only one capable of bringing down the false gods that men serve. He will not receive sloppy seconds from you.
If you want to take a quick test of what idols may be in your life, ask yourself what are the things you will "slit throats" over. For some it is an addiction, for others it may be politics, football or even theological knowledge. You can be rest assured that you have a major problem if when people threaten yoru idol, you threaten them yet when they use the Lord's name in vain it does not burn your ears and soul. Why? Your disposition reflects that you will defend what man has made, but will do nothing to defend the Glory and Holiness of the one true God.
Last Thursday the men of our small group made our regular visit to a local men's shelter. The faces of the men there tell many different stories. Some tell of hope, but most of them tell the grim painful story of a life spent worshipping at the altar of alcohol or drugs. Last week, there was one young guy in his twenties whose face I can still see vividly. Many missing teeth, thin hair, baggy skin on an emaciated frame announce his addiction to Meth before he even had to speak. The effects of Meth have robbed Him of any sign of health, joy or happiness. His countenance was literally that of a beaten down, cursed man.
In the last post, we learned about God's intentions with us as we rightly worship Him. He wants us to "be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory (Jeremiah 13:11). Jeremiah 13:11 ends with "but they would not listen". Jeremiah 24 above spells out with detail what occurs when false worship of counterfeit gods occur.
Idolotry turns men who were designed to be a people, a name, a praise and a glory into a reproach, a byword, a taunt and a curse. Notice with careful detail the exact opposite four word comparisons.
>People (of God) vs. Reproach (rebels against Him)
>A Name (of God) vs. byword (meaningless word that is lacking relevance)
>A Praise (for God) vs. A Taunt (Against God and everyone else)
>A Glory (reflecting God's Holiness) vs. A Curse (reflecting the curse of sin)
Long story short, there is no middle ground of worship. We are either engaged with Christ, as we cling to Him and He is shaping us dramatically as His Holiness is infused in us, or our false worship is eating away at our souls, our health and our bodies. We either are lovingly engaged in the truths of God or we are rebelling against Him.
I think one of the most deadliest places to be in as an American today is falling blindly to a false worship that includes a little church attendance that empowers a lifestyle of sin devoid of true worship. I walked this miserable road for years and looking back, it is easy to see how the false gods of alcohol, gambling and tobacco demanded my allegiance, consumed my thoughts and in turn me. Jesus is the only one capable of bringing down the false gods that men serve. He will not receive sloppy seconds from you.
If you want to take a quick test of what idols may be in your life, ask yourself what are the things you will "slit throats" over. For some it is an addiction, for others it may be politics, football or even theological knowledge. You can be rest assured that you have a major problem if when people threaten yoru idol, you threaten them yet when they use the Lord's name in vain it does not burn your ears and soul. Why? Your disposition reflects that you will defend what man has made, but will do nothing to defend the Glory and Holiness of the one true God.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Clinging to God
Jeremiah 13:11 For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, but they would not listen.
Leaving my house in the mornings is my least favorite part of the day. Luke (age 22 months) and Eli (3.5) are determined for me to stay. Cries of "stay daddy" are accompanied with some hand and leg locks around my legs in both an emotional and physical attempt at preventing my departure. They literally cling to me, and it is heartbreaking to have to leave them. I feel like a dog as I shut the door and jump in the Tahoe.
God has shown me in many verses like Jeremiah 13:11 above, that the picture of my boys clinging to me desperately should be walked out in my dependence, praise and worship of Jesus. Man, I have made that way too complicated at times as I love theology and bible exposition. The clarity and simplicity stated by God is startling in this passage.
Positionally we need to cling to him in love as he is our provider, strength and grandest Treasure. Do You do that? Do you even think you need Him that desperately to cling to Him?
Look at what God defines as His purpose for the redeemed body of faith: that they may be a people, a name, a praise and a glory.
In a nutshell, God says that our purpose is to be clear markers of grace that point to the one true God. We exist to bring glory to His name and praise Him. As our lives are changed by His work in us, people see "Christians as Christ"-the name given to us is then synonomous with the God we love and serve. We are His physical body producing faith led works of a divine inspiration.
So lets break it down. When people interact with you, do they know you are His?
Do you reflect the worthiness of Christ as you bear the name Christian?
How much praise is in your day for Him?
Are you bent on bringing glory to God each day?
We are designed to be his people, bear His name, be a praise and to glorify him. This will only happen if we cling to Him as Luke and Eli cling to me as I leave. The fun part is discovering God's unique relationship he wants to have with you. Go to Him, cling to Him and let Him have His way. Unlike me, he will not have to close the door and leave, for He desires our hearts commune with Him in worship.
Leaving my house in the mornings is my least favorite part of the day. Luke (age 22 months) and Eli (3.5) are determined for me to stay. Cries of "stay daddy" are accompanied with some hand and leg locks around my legs in both an emotional and physical attempt at preventing my departure. They literally cling to me, and it is heartbreaking to have to leave them. I feel like a dog as I shut the door and jump in the Tahoe.
God has shown me in many verses like Jeremiah 13:11 above, that the picture of my boys clinging to me desperately should be walked out in my dependence, praise and worship of Jesus. Man, I have made that way too complicated at times as I love theology and bible exposition. The clarity and simplicity stated by God is startling in this passage.
Positionally we need to cling to him in love as he is our provider, strength and grandest Treasure. Do You do that? Do you even think you need Him that desperately to cling to Him?
Look at what God defines as His purpose for the redeemed body of faith: that they may be a people, a name, a praise and a glory.
In a nutshell, God says that our purpose is to be clear markers of grace that point to the one true God. We exist to bring glory to His name and praise Him. As our lives are changed by His work in us, people see "Christians as Christ"-the name given to us is then synonomous with the God we love and serve. We are His physical body producing faith led works of a divine inspiration.
So lets break it down. When people interact with you, do they know you are His?
Do you reflect the worthiness of Christ as you bear the name Christian?
How much praise is in your day for Him?
Are you bent on bringing glory to God each day?
We are designed to be his people, bear His name, be a praise and to glorify him. This will only happen if we cling to Him as Luke and Eli cling to me as I leave. The fun part is discovering God's unique relationship he wants to have with you. Go to Him, cling to Him and let Him have His way. Unlike me, he will not have to close the door and leave, for He desires our hearts commune with Him in worship.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Slick Willy
Jeremiah 3:10 Yet for all of this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord.
Monica Lewinsky and the blue dress exposed ex-president Bill Clinton's scandalous affair with the young intern. It was interesting to me the different reactions to the most powerful man in the world's display of a severe lack of judgment and discipline. His supporters tried to make it seem like the affair was no big deal and of course the conservatives made the best of trying to bury the man. The one thing that was hard to miss to me was that Bill spent far more time trying to weasel out of the situation, than he spent in true life changing repentance and flat out admittance of guilt. He seemed more concerned about being caught than the damage His actions did to God, Monica, the U.S., and the integrity level of the office presidency.When we sin it hurts God first, everyone who is directly involved secondly and everyone who is under our headship as we invite wickedness in to our soul that clouds our judgment and actions. I am not his judge and I will make mistakes in my life as well, but it is clear to the world when someone is truly damaged at the core by what their actions do to others. It is also clear when someone with pretense will say what they need to say to just get through the situation so they can get back to their old lifestyle. SInce that time their have been multiple scandals from both Republicans and Democrats with similar issues so let's be clear this is a sin issue in the Heart of man and not a political issue.
Jeremiah 3:10 is a clear look at true repentance. Returning to God with your whole heart and not in pretense is the bottom line. What does it mean to return with your whole heart? I think it means acknowledging the fact that you alone are totally accountable for hurting the heart of God, yourself and others and that your soul has an intense deep remorse for the damage and evil that you produced. It also means that you totally submit to the only power that can forgive and permanently restore the damage, God and his son Jesus Christ. Lastly your desire is no longer to return to that sin but to praise the God that delivered you from the very sin that was going to destroy you and your family.
So what does your repentance look like in your life? Do you have a casual relationship with sin that you think is no big deal? When your sin becomes exposed what is your reaction?
When you pray, do you pray for God to change you and turn you away from sin, or do you pray that others will simply forget your sin?
Monica Lewinsky and the blue dress exposed ex-president Bill Clinton's scandalous affair with the young intern. It was interesting to me the different reactions to the most powerful man in the world's display of a severe lack of judgment and discipline. His supporters tried to make it seem like the affair was no big deal and of course the conservatives made the best of trying to bury the man. The one thing that was hard to miss to me was that Bill spent far more time trying to weasel out of the situation, than he spent in true life changing repentance and flat out admittance of guilt. He seemed more concerned about being caught than the damage His actions did to God, Monica, the U.S., and the integrity level of the office presidency.When we sin it hurts God first, everyone who is directly involved secondly and everyone who is under our headship as we invite wickedness in to our soul that clouds our judgment and actions. I am not his judge and I will make mistakes in my life as well, but it is clear to the world when someone is truly damaged at the core by what their actions do to others. It is also clear when someone with pretense will say what they need to say to just get through the situation so they can get back to their old lifestyle. SInce that time their have been multiple scandals from both Republicans and Democrats with similar issues so let's be clear this is a sin issue in the Heart of man and not a political issue.
Jeremiah 3:10 is a clear look at true repentance. Returning to God with your whole heart and not in pretense is the bottom line. What does it mean to return with your whole heart? I think it means acknowledging the fact that you alone are totally accountable for hurting the heart of God, yourself and others and that your soul has an intense deep remorse for the damage and evil that you produced. It also means that you totally submit to the only power that can forgive and permanently restore the damage, God and his son Jesus Christ. Lastly your desire is no longer to return to that sin but to praise the God that delivered you from the very sin that was going to destroy you and your family.
So what does your repentance look like in your life? Do you have a casual relationship with sin that you think is no big deal? When your sin becomes exposed what is your reaction?
When you pray, do you pray for God to change you and turn you away from sin, or do you pray that others will simply forget your sin?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Rivals
John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment
November 15, 1997. We were in Athens, Ga. celebrating a huge upset win by our Tigers in the South's oldest rivalry game, Auburn vs. Georgia. We found ourselves hungry and standing in a Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakery, waiting for our food to be ready when it happened. A combination of loose tongues, pride and adult beverages fueled the entire absolutely stupid scene that hit its climax as the eight of us found ourselves in a position where about 70 Georgia fans furiously wanted to expel us from their midst. I am still unsure exactly how it got started, and it does not really matter, but it is safe to say that it is a minor miracle that their was not a large brawl that night. The battle lines were clear: happy gloaters pridefully wearing orange and blue and disgustingly infuriated folks wearing red and black. Tensions and emotions were high on both sides. At that moment, there was no neutral ground, and no way for us all to peacefully exist in the same restaurant. Rivals in the heat of the battle can not intermingle, so we got our pizza and left ......
In the above passage, John is detailing the Holy Spirit's role in the life of a believer. His Holiness convicts of Sin, Righteousness and Judgement. Simply put, He highlights and instructs us about the horror of sin,the Exclusive righteousness of Christ and the war between the two and He makes sure we all see that judgement is real. Sin and Holiness are more than just football rivals, they are cosmic forces that are diametrically opposed to one another. Holiness is a term used to describe the uniqueness of God. Sin in a broad sense means all things against opposed to God.
If we are unable to see that Jesus came to make war against sin and that the Holy spirit rallies us against it as well, we have missed a basic point. God and sin can not commune with one another. Like a Klu Klux Klan member showing up at a black panther rally in downtown Detroit - there will be an extremely large clash when the two forces encounter one another.
I am at a loss when I hear of churches having leaders that are openly living in a lifestyle of sin. Instead of these leaders allowing God to deal with their sin they start to rewrite what is sin. They want to make something that is anti-God, pro-God. No wonder the church confuses people. We all have sin, but if there is no conviction of continuous sin and that is the role of the spirit, we should question if the spirit is in us. If the Holy spirit is not in us - we are not saved. I don't see any where in the bible where the Holy bride of Christ is accepting of continuous sin that flies in the face of God. I definitely do not see any place where people get away with telling God what are the new "acceptable actions" that He just needs to get over and understand. We have lost our fear of a Holy God.
If you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, sin will be a rival that you will wage war against, not make excuses for. No matter the sin, the Holiness of God has nailed it to the cross victoriously. He did not come so that we could be comfortable in our sin, but that we would be thankful from being delivered from it.
November 15, 1997. We were in Athens, Ga. celebrating a huge upset win by our Tigers in the South's oldest rivalry game, Auburn vs. Georgia. We found ourselves hungry and standing in a Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakery, waiting for our food to be ready when it happened. A combination of loose tongues, pride and adult beverages fueled the entire absolutely stupid scene that hit its climax as the eight of us found ourselves in a position where about 70 Georgia fans furiously wanted to expel us from their midst. I am still unsure exactly how it got started, and it does not really matter, but it is safe to say that it is a minor miracle that their was not a large brawl that night. The battle lines were clear: happy gloaters pridefully wearing orange and blue and disgustingly infuriated folks wearing red and black. Tensions and emotions were high on both sides. At that moment, there was no neutral ground, and no way for us all to peacefully exist in the same restaurant. Rivals in the heat of the battle can not intermingle, so we got our pizza and left ......
In the above passage, John is detailing the Holy Spirit's role in the life of a believer. His Holiness convicts of Sin, Righteousness and Judgement. Simply put, He highlights and instructs us about the horror of sin,the Exclusive righteousness of Christ and the war between the two and He makes sure we all see that judgement is real. Sin and Holiness are more than just football rivals, they are cosmic forces that are diametrically opposed to one another. Holiness is a term used to describe the uniqueness of God. Sin in a broad sense means all things against opposed to God.
If we are unable to see that Jesus came to make war against sin and that the Holy spirit rallies us against it as well, we have missed a basic point. God and sin can not commune with one another. Like a Klu Klux Klan member showing up at a black panther rally in downtown Detroit - there will be an extremely large clash when the two forces encounter one another.
I am at a loss when I hear of churches having leaders that are openly living in a lifestyle of sin. Instead of these leaders allowing God to deal with their sin they start to rewrite what is sin. They want to make something that is anti-God, pro-God. No wonder the church confuses people. We all have sin, but if there is no conviction of continuous sin and that is the role of the spirit, we should question if the spirit is in us. If the Holy spirit is not in us - we are not saved. I don't see any where in the bible where the Holy bride of Christ is accepting of continuous sin that flies in the face of God. I definitely do not see any place where people get away with telling God what are the new "acceptable actions" that He just needs to get over and understand. We have lost our fear of a Holy God.
If you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, sin will be a rival that you will wage war against, not make excuses for. No matter the sin, the Holiness of God has nailed it to the cross victoriously. He did not come so that we could be comfortable in our sin, but that we would be thankful from being delivered from it.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Massive Distractions
Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Have you stopped and looked around to see how distracted everyone is today? It makes my brain hurt to think through the intense demands on schedules and up to the second information sharing of every kind. While being informed about the world around us in broad strokes can be fruitful, having our senses consumed by the continuous broadcast of worldly thought, entertainment and news is quite deadly.
Christ, in the above verses, is speaking about people and the Gospel. The words He used in 30 A.D. above are still amazingly accurate today, even with all of our enlightened learning and gadgetry. Maybe even especially because of our enlightened learning and gadgetry. Jesus says that there Hearts are dull, their ears are ineffective and their eyes are almost shut to God, because they are quite satisfied without Him as they are enjoying all of their stuff. They all sense in a dull way that they are sinful and need some religious action to justify themselves, but are comfortable as long as they get to stay in control and right the rules. In their erroneous life, they do not sense the need of a savior as "Life is Good". That should start to sound familiar.
Jesus Clearly states how the Gospel germinates in one's soul:
1) See with your eyes
2) Hear with your ears
3) Understand with your Heart
4) Turn from sin and Follow Christ
5) Then Christ Heals
These first three are easy to interpret. We see, we hear and then we understand. The challenge to all of us is this: How much of what we see and hear is from God, if anything? If we do not seek "The Shepherd who leaves the 99 for the 1", we will not see or hear, and we will not understand the things of God. Why? Our senses are over run with things of this world and the Spirit's outpouring is beyond our faculties. It is only when God humbles us in the core of our gut to the point when we know we are in desperate need of Him, and we die to ourself, that we can see and hear the things of the Kingdom. It is then, when we are in the spot of a drowning swimmer yelling out to the lifeguard for help, that we are able to truly hear and see the things of the Kingdom. Once we know we need, we can hear, see and understand the things of the Kingdom of God.
That leads us to the fork in the road. Which way we will choose. If we truly understand our position as sinners hanging by a thread in need of God in a mighty way, that does not mean we are in. We must turn from sin, and follow Christ. This repentance is a life attitude of "God you are right, I am wrong , and I am going to let your cross crucify those things that I want to do". While this salvation power does not immediately make you eternally sinless, it definitely makes sin taste like an ashtray and the things of God taste as sweet as Honey as the Holy Spirit convicts and guides us. It is at the point of true salvation where God shows us how we had it all upside down and backwards. The things our sin nature craved were not really fun, they were destructive....kind of like Eve taking a bite of death thinking she was going to get more life.
So how much of the bible do you see clearly?
How much of the Good News about Christ, the way He explains Himself do you really know?
Do you understand, "I desire Mercy and not sacrifice'?
Have you turned your sin over to God's wrath on Christ?
Finally, Have you been healed by Him and you can testify to His power to defeat sin?
This is what Jesus came to do right? Make war on sin and heal and regenerate. He did not come to just inform people but to overthrow evil and make that possible for us.
There are a lot of people this day and age doing the first three, yet refusing to repent and turn form their sin and so they remain unreleased from their sin. They believe that God will accept them being an "informed, yet content raging drug addict" or a"Knowing its wrong in the bible, yet ultra content homosexual". These people have little regard for what God states about salvation throughout the bible and have invented a synthetic gospel which has some elements of truth to it, but fails to apply the Power of God to their sinful lives. The Gospel is a bout regeneration and restoration from sin to God's truth and life, not a bunch of theories and a church routine to clean your conscious. Most importantly they miss the fact that a good God wants to unshackle them from the bonds of the sin that enslaves them. A person outside the kingdom doesn't see it that way. They don't see removal of sin as a blessing. When repentance comes up they see someone messing with the thing that identifies them as unique or special, makes them an independent thinker and is their flaming desire. What they see is Jesus trying to topple their God - and they will have none of it.
"The idea that God will let a rebel into heaven that has not quit his rebellion is not only unbiblical, it lacks common sense" A.W. Tozer
If I am not mistaken I think the Devil already tried that - didn't he?
and their eyes they have closed,lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Have you stopped and looked around to see how distracted everyone is today? It makes my brain hurt to think through the intense demands on schedules and up to the second information sharing of every kind. While being informed about the world around us in broad strokes can be fruitful, having our senses consumed by the continuous broadcast of worldly thought, entertainment and news is quite deadly.
Christ, in the above verses, is speaking about people and the Gospel. The words He used in 30 A.D. above are still amazingly accurate today, even with all of our enlightened learning and gadgetry. Maybe even especially because of our enlightened learning and gadgetry. Jesus says that there Hearts are dull, their ears are ineffective and their eyes are almost shut to God, because they are quite satisfied without Him as they are enjoying all of their stuff. They all sense in a dull way that they are sinful and need some religious action to justify themselves, but are comfortable as long as they get to stay in control and right the rules. In their erroneous life, they do not sense the need of a savior as "Life is Good". That should start to sound familiar.
Jesus Clearly states how the Gospel germinates in one's soul:
1) See with your eyes
2) Hear with your ears
3) Understand with your Heart
4) Turn from sin and Follow Christ
5) Then Christ Heals
These first three are easy to interpret. We see, we hear and then we understand. The challenge to all of us is this: How much of what we see and hear is from God, if anything? If we do not seek "The Shepherd who leaves the 99 for the 1", we will not see or hear, and we will not understand the things of God. Why? Our senses are over run with things of this world and the Spirit's outpouring is beyond our faculties. It is only when God humbles us in the core of our gut to the point when we know we are in desperate need of Him, and we die to ourself, that we can see and hear the things of the Kingdom. It is then, when we are in the spot of a drowning swimmer yelling out to the lifeguard for help, that we are able to truly hear and see the things of the Kingdom. Once we know we need, we can hear, see and understand the things of the Kingdom of God.
That leads us to the fork in the road. Which way we will choose. If we truly understand our position as sinners hanging by a thread in need of God in a mighty way, that does not mean we are in. We must turn from sin, and follow Christ. This repentance is a life attitude of "God you are right, I am wrong , and I am going to let your cross crucify those things that I want to do". While this salvation power does not immediately make you eternally sinless, it definitely makes sin taste like an ashtray and the things of God taste as sweet as Honey as the Holy Spirit convicts and guides us. It is at the point of true salvation where God shows us how we had it all upside down and backwards. The things our sin nature craved were not really fun, they were destructive....kind of like Eve taking a bite of death thinking she was going to get more life.
So how much of the bible do you see clearly?
How much of the Good News about Christ, the way He explains Himself do you really know?
Do you understand, "I desire Mercy and not sacrifice'?
Have you turned your sin over to God's wrath on Christ?
Finally, Have you been healed by Him and you can testify to His power to defeat sin?
This is what Jesus came to do right? Make war on sin and heal and regenerate. He did not come to just inform people but to overthrow evil and make that possible for us.
There are a lot of people this day and age doing the first three, yet refusing to repent and turn form their sin and so they remain unreleased from their sin. They believe that God will accept them being an "informed, yet content raging drug addict" or a"Knowing its wrong in the bible, yet ultra content homosexual". These people have little regard for what God states about salvation throughout the bible and have invented a synthetic gospel which has some elements of truth to it, but fails to apply the Power of God to their sinful lives. The Gospel is a bout regeneration and restoration from sin to God's truth and life, not a bunch of theories and a church routine to clean your conscious. Most importantly they miss the fact that a good God wants to unshackle them from the bonds of the sin that enslaves them. A person outside the kingdom doesn't see it that way. They don't see removal of sin as a blessing. When repentance comes up they see someone messing with the thing that identifies them as unique or special, makes them an independent thinker and is their flaming desire. What they see is Jesus trying to topple their God - and they will have none of it.
"The idea that God will let a rebel into heaven that has not quit his rebellion is not only unbiblical, it lacks common sense" A.W. Tozer
If I am not mistaken I think the Devil already tried that - didn't he?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A belief that marvels Christ
Matthew 8:5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but l only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with n no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
What does it mean to believe in Jesus? I am definitely not the scholastic authority on this, but this passage makes a couple of huge points about Faith that pleases and marvels Christ. It is critical to note that this passage occurs immediately after the sermon on the mount. In this sermon Jesus lovingly says, you can not please God in your actions so enter the kingdom through the narrow gate and build your house on the rock -ME!
With the fact that only Christ's life is pleasing to our father acting as our lens to look through, we can then easily appropriate the huge truths about True Faith and Belief. The first thing we see in the centurion is that he addresses Christ and says "Lord I am not worthy to have you under my roof". The centurion has an appropriate view of both himself and Christ. he is unworthy but Christ is the ultimate worth. The centurion's belief started with a correct understanding of his Holy inadequacy and Christ's over flowing Holiness. In verse 9 we find a second key point about this faith that pleases Christ. The man understands the authority, power and capabilities of Christ. He understands that Christ has complete dominion as He says- you just have to say a word Jesus. You don't have to go to my house physically. You don't have to go do some ceremony Jesus- just speak a word and your complete dominance over all will show itself.
Jesus marvels at the centurion. Stop and think about that - this same Jesus just preached a sermon about the near impossibility of truly pleasing God. This sermon on the narrow gate and the wideness of human depravity that will not squeeze through it, and he goes to Capernaum and a gentile centurion has appropriated a faith that demands Christ as the centerpiece. Jesus is pleased by this man's belief......it is the belief that is mentioned in John 3:16.
We must remember that even the devil knows of Christ's Holy authority. The acknowledgement of Holy Authority must be intertwined with a total submission to Him, based on a complete understanding of our inability to be Holy outside of Him. It is only when we allow the Christ's Cross to crucify our flesh and impart the spirit that Christ's fruitful life walks in our shoes.
This type of faith avoided me for much of my life. My belief was that God was Good and I needed to try to be as much like Him as I could. I was trying to do what only Jesus could do -live a life pleasing to God. I was miserably failing and my faith was in me and my attempts, not in Christ Alone. I had no true belief that just as the sky is blue, I was incapable of pleasing God. Like the centurion, I now understand that no matter how much I tried to be good apart from Christ, I had nothing good to give and the only way for Him to work in my life was to fall at His feet permanently not as an emotional, semi-frequent, half hearted religious routine. As my worship of Christ has intensified, His way is made known through my life...I pray that I please Him.
What does it mean to believe in Jesus? I am definitely not the scholastic authority on this, but this passage makes a couple of huge points about Faith that pleases and marvels Christ. It is critical to note that this passage occurs immediately after the sermon on the mount. In this sermon Jesus lovingly says, you can not please God in your actions so enter the kingdom through the narrow gate and build your house on the rock -ME!
With the fact that only Christ's life is pleasing to our father acting as our lens to look through, we can then easily appropriate the huge truths about True Faith and Belief. The first thing we see in the centurion is that he addresses Christ and says "Lord I am not worthy to have you under my roof". The centurion has an appropriate view of both himself and Christ. he is unworthy but Christ is the ultimate worth. The centurion's belief started with a correct understanding of his Holy inadequacy and Christ's over flowing Holiness. In verse 9 we find a second key point about this faith that pleases Christ. The man understands the authority, power and capabilities of Christ. He understands that Christ has complete dominion as He says- you just have to say a word Jesus. You don't have to go to my house physically. You don't have to go do some ceremony Jesus- just speak a word and your complete dominance over all will show itself.
Jesus marvels at the centurion. Stop and think about that - this same Jesus just preached a sermon about the near impossibility of truly pleasing God. This sermon on the narrow gate and the wideness of human depravity that will not squeeze through it, and he goes to Capernaum and a gentile centurion has appropriated a faith that demands Christ as the centerpiece. Jesus is pleased by this man's belief......it is the belief that is mentioned in John 3:16.
We must remember that even the devil knows of Christ's Holy authority. The acknowledgement of Holy Authority must be intertwined with a total submission to Him, based on a complete understanding of our inability to be Holy outside of Him. It is only when we allow the Christ's Cross to crucify our flesh and impart the spirit that Christ's fruitful life walks in our shoes.
This type of faith avoided me for much of my life. My belief was that God was Good and I needed to try to be as much like Him as I could. I was trying to do what only Jesus could do -live a life pleasing to God. I was miserably failing and my faith was in me and my attempts, not in Christ Alone. I had no true belief that just as the sky is blue, I was incapable of pleasing God. Like the centurion, I now understand that no matter how much I tried to be good apart from Christ, I had nothing good to give and the only way for Him to work in my life was to fall at His feet permanently not as an emotional, semi-frequent, half hearted religious routine. As my worship of Christ has intensified, His way is made known through my life...I pray that I please Him.
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